disrepair

noun

dis·​re·​pair ˌdis-ri-ˈper How to pronounce disrepair (audio)
: the state of being in need of repair
a building fallen into disrepair

Examples of disrepair in a Sentence

The lighthouse was in disrepair until the volunteers cleaned it up. After years of neglect, the house fell into disrepair.
Recent Examples on the Web In the 1950s and 1960s, the agency moved to new campuses in Boulder and Gaithersburg after its early headquarters in Washington fell into disrepair. Cat Zakrzewski, Washington Post, 6 Mar. 2024 But why have so many historic Black churches been abandoned or fallen into disrepair, and who is working to save them? Dana Taylor, USA TODAY, 25 Feb. 2024 The theater fell into disrepair and closed in 1987, Nyquist says. Gary Stoller, Forbes, 19 Feb. 2024 By the 1990s, however, Lincoln Memorial had fallen into disrepair. C. Isaiah Smalls Ii, Miami Herald, 18 Feb. 2024 There are props and buildings still standing, including a small museum with memorabilia and photographs, but things like the dock have fallen into disrepair. Jordi Lippe, Travel + Leisure, 16 Feb. 2024 For decades, the home was vandalized and began falling into disrepair. Lennie Omalza, The Courier-Journal, 15 Feb. 2024 The iconic structure was ravaged by fire in April 2019, leaving it in severe disrepair. Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, Fox News, 14 Feb. 2024 For years, the building's various owners fielded complaints that residents sometimes went without proper heating or cooling as the property fell into disrepair. Tamia Fowlkes, Journal Sentinel, 14 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'disrepair.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1798, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of disrepair was in 1798

Dictionary Entries Near disrepair

Cite this Entry

“Disrepair.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disrepair. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

disrepair

noun
dis·​re·​pair ˌdis-ri-ˈpa(ə)r How to pronounce disrepair (audio)
-ˈpe(ə)r
: the condition of needing repair

More from Merriam-Webster on disrepair

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