decrepit

adjective

de·​crep·​it di-ˈkre-pət 

1

: wasted and weakened by or as if by the infirmities of old age

a decrepit old man

2

a

: impaired by use or wear : worn-out

a decrepit school bus

b

: fallen into ruin or disrepair

a decrepit industry

3

: dilapidated, run-down

an old, decrepit hotel

decrepitly adverb

Choose the Right Synonym for decrepit

weak, feeble, frail, fragile, infirm, decrepit mean not strong enough to endure strain, pressure, or strenuous effort.

weak applies to deficiency or inferiority in strength or power of any sort.

felt weak after the surgery

feeble suggests extreme weakness inviting pity or contempt.

a feeble attempt to walk

frail implies delicacy and slightness of constitution or structure.

a frail teenager unable to enjoy sports

fragile suggests frailty and brittleness unable to resist rough usage.

a reclusive poet too fragile for the rigors of this world

infirm suggests instability, unsoundness, and insecurity due to old age or disabling illness.

infirm residents requiring constant care

decrepit implies being worn-out or broken-down from long use or old age.

the dowager's decrepit retainers

Examples of decrepit in a Sentence

My decrepit car barely starts.

Recent Examples on the Web

Just down the block, a decrepit 19th-century boat house stood an impressive three stories tall on a tiny parcel of land. —Mark David, Robb Report, 17 May 2024

In 2019, a demolition notice outside a decrepit 1907 house caught his eye. —Diya Kohli, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 May 2024

In one scene, Hill's character is weak and decrepit. —Juliana Kim, NPR, 5 May 2024

But the system, the largest in America, has grown increasingly decrepit and unreliable. —Jesse Ashlock, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 May 2024

Clark Park, in the heart of southwest Detroit, was in disrepair, with ruts in the baseball field, a run-down rec center and a decrepit ice rink. —Eric Guzmán, Detroit Free Press, 4 May 2024

Manhattan’s Backyard by the Hudson The Chelsea Piers sports complex opened in 1995, revitalizing the decrepit Hudson River waterfront in Chelsea. —David Waldstein, New York Times, 3 May 2024

Our building was a decrepit brownstone full of unhandy people. —Benjamin Nugent, The Atlantic, 17 Apr. 2024

Directions to houseguests ran several paragraphs and could include a plane, trains, taxis, a ferry, another ferry, then miles and miles on foot down a decrepit, often impassable rural lane. —Stephen Metcalf, The Atlantic, 5 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin decrepitus

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

decrepit

adjective

de·​crep·​it di-ˈkrep-ət 

: broken down with age : worn-out