blighted

adjective

blight·​ed ˈblī-təd How to pronounce blighted (audio)
1
botany : affected with blight (see blight entry 1 sense 1)
a blighted plant
This pathogen causes blighted flowers, heavy leaf spotting, and the death of young, green shoots.Elsie Cox
2
: in a badly damaged or deteriorated condition
a blighted landscape
a blighted city
… the physicians who work here in some of the nation's most blighted neighborhoods …Malcolm Gladwell
3
: made ineffectual : defeated or frustrated
blighted dreams
At every point we are confronted with shattered promises, blighted hopes, irreconcilable dilemmas, good intentions gone astray …Gertrude Himmelfarb

Examples of blighted in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
There was a program launched by the mayor and Maryland's governor at the time, Larry Hogan, to demolish vacant buildings and rebuild blighted blocks. Sarah Handel, NPR, 26 Apr. 2025 These districts are intended to focus local resources on reviving blighted communities by re-investing increases in property tax revenue back into the district that the agency serves. Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 Apr. 2025 The city had hoped to tear down the blighted structure later this year, but that now appears less likely. Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 12 Mar. 2025 In a city targeting the demolition of hundreds of blighted structures, this one in Gary’s Aetna neighborhood felt personal to contractor Jim Wiseman on Monday. Carole Carlson, Chicago Tribune, 10 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for blighted

Word History

First Known Use

1665, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of blighted was in 1665

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Cite this Entry

“Blighted.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/blighted. Accessed 9 May. 2025.

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