decrepit

[dih-krep-it] / dɪˈkrɛp ɪt /

ADJECTIVE

deteriorated, debilitated, especially as a result of age

Synonyms

STRONGEST

battered broken-down creaky dilapidated feeble flimsy frail infirm ramshackle rickety run down seedy shabby

WEAK

aged anile antiquated bedraggled doddering effete fragile haggard incapacitated insubstantial old quavering senile shaking superannuated tacky threadbare tired tottering tumble-down unsound used wasted weak weakly weather-beaten worn worn-out

Antonyms

STRONGEST

firm healthy hearty solid sound stable strong sturdy

WEAK

fit young

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Venezuela will benefit if U.S. oil companies modernize the country’s decrepit oil production facilities.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 3, 2026

When the BBC visited in November, workers were busy knocking down a decrepit old barn, one of many that dot the Appalachian landscape.

From BBC • Dec. 29, 2025

In the end, the Mobutu era left few visible traces behind: a handful of palaces and monuments to the late dictator lie decrepit, while virtually no infrastructure from his time survives to this day.

From Barron's • Nov. 13, 2025

For that offense, she was grabbed off the street by a half-dozen plainclothes federal agents and detained for weeks in a decrepit ICE facility, thousands of miles away.

From Salon • Oct. 9, 2025

Family after family arrives, each claiming a decrepit ancestor amid high-decibel greetings.

From "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen

Vocabulary lists containing decrepit

The Hunger Games

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The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

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The Fault in Our Stars

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