dilapidated
adjective
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Something that is dilapidated may not have been literally pummeled with stones, but it might look that way. Dilapidated derives (via the English verb dilapidate) from dilapidatus, the past participle of the Latin verb dilapidare ("to squander or destroy"). That verb was formed by combining dis-, meaning "apart," with the verb lapidare, meaning "to pelt with stones." Other English descendants of lapidare include the verb lapidate ("to pelt or kill with stones") and the noun lapidary, which is used to refer to a person who cuts or polishes precious stones. Both words share as a root the Latin noun lapis, meaning "stone." We also find lapis in the name lapis lazuli, a bright blue semiprecious stone.
Examples of dilapidated in a Sentence
New York Times, 16 May 2026
The space has made a turnaround from its dilapidated state just months before.
—Kansas City Star, 15 May 2026
This magical island has drawn the rich and famous to its shores, including the late Giorgio Armani, who transformed two dilapidated dammusi into a summer home.
—Laura Itzkowitz, Travel + Leisure, 15 May 2026
An operating license for a dilapidated Boba tea kiosk displays a 2024 expiration date.
—Audrey Pachuta, Chicago Tribune, 9 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for dilapidated
Cite this Entry
“Dilapidated.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dilapidated. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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