disintegrate

[dis-in-tuh-greyt] / dɪsˈɪn təˌgreɪt /

VERB

fall apart; reduce to pieces

Synonyms

STRONGEST

break down break up come apart crumble decay decompose degenerate descend disband dismantle rot sever shatter sink splinter wash out wither

STRONG

atomize decline deliquesce detach dilapidate disconnect disorganize disperse disunite divide molder pulverize putrefy separate spoil taint turn worsen

WEAK

break apart disimprove fade away fall to pieces take apart turn to dust wash away

Antonyms

STRONGEST

build combine develop fix flourish grow improve increase join mend put together rise strengthen unite

STRONG

attach collect connect couple gather link

WEAK

meld

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.

Jolly has been carrying out tests on the banks of the River Yare to see how quickly the plastic-free wipes disintegrate.

From BBC • Nov. 17, 2025

When these shelves thin or disintegrate, that stabilizing effect disappears, allowing land ice to move more quickly into the ocean and raise global sea levels.

From Science Daily • Oct. 29, 2025

Were you to cook Swiss chard fully intact, without separating the stems and leaves, the leaf would disintegrate by the time the stems were tender.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 3, 2025

SpaceX, for instance, designs most of its Starlink satellites to disintegrate upon reentry.

From Salon • Apr. 12, 2025

Back in the darkest corner of my heart it lay, so well pressed that its fragile edges might chip, break off, even disintegrate if I tried to touch it.

From "Summer of the Mariposas" by Guadalupe García McCall

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