dilapidated
Falling to pieces because it has not been looked after.
dilapidated in a sentence
- Weeds grew through the floor of the dilapidated cottage, and every one of its windows was broken.
- The dilapidated pier had missing planks and rusty railings, so nobody was allowed to walk on it.
Try an 11+ style question
Verbal reasoning papers often ask about a word like this.
Which word is closest in meaning to dilapidated?
- Anew
- Bsturdy
- Cruined
- Dneat
Show the answer
C: ruined. The other three mean the opposite of dilapidated.
Which word is most nearly opposite in meaning to dilapidated?
- Aruined
- Bnew
- Cshabby
- Dcrumbling
Show the answer
B: new. The other three mean nearly the same as dilapidated.
Words that mean something similar
ruined, crumbling, shabby
Words that mean the opposite
new, neat, sturdy
Careful: dilapidated is not derelict
Derelict means abandoned. Dilapidated means badly looked after, whether or not anyone still uses it. Read why children mix them up.
More words about places & settings
- domestic: Belonging to the home and family, or tame and kept by people.
- eerie: Strange in a way that makes you feel nervous or scared.
- exotic: Unusual and exciting because it comes from a faraway place.
- expanse: A wide, open stretch of land, sea or sky.
- exterior: The outside part of something.
- grim: Gloomy, harsh and without cheer.
- habitable: Good enough for people or animals to live in.
- haven: A safe place where you can shelter from harm.
More words to explore
Sitting the 11+ in Kent, Medway or Buckinghamshire?
Plain-English guides to each test, from the councils’ own pages: Kent Test · Medway Test · Bucks Secondary Transfer Test