Decrepit

Decrepit describes something or someone weakened by old age, illness, or long use. It suggests a state of decay, often marked by a loss of physical strength, functionality, and structural integrity. This deterioration can apply to both living beings and inanimate objects, highlighting the effects of time and wear. A decrepit building may be crumbling, while a decrepit person may suffer from physical frailty and mental decline. The term evokes a sense of vulnerability and the inevitable decline associated with aging or prolonged use.

Decrepit meaning with examples

• The old lighthouse, battered by countless storms, stood as a decrepit sentinel against the sea. Its paint peeled, and the structure groaned with each gust of wind, a testament to its age and weathering. Its once powerful light now flickered weakly, a faint beacon in the encroaching darkness, a reminder of what it once was.
• Clara, with her stooped posture and halting gait, could hardly navigate the flight of stairs, a picture of a decrepit woman. She clutched her walking stick for support, each step a struggle against the encroaching frailty of old age. Her skin was thin and wrinkled, reflecting the passage of time and her fading strength.
• The once grand mansion, now a decrepit ruin, whispered stories of forgotten glory. Its windows were shattered, and weeds choked the overgrown grounds, highlighting its long period of neglect. Decaying, it stood as a sad symbol of its lost opulence, a relic of a forgotten era and changing times.
• The decrepit car sputtered and coughed, its engine protesting with every turn of the key. Its body was dented and rusted, the interior threadbare and worn. Though it was very unreliable, it was the only means of transportation to the old couple's home, and it kept sputtering on.
• His once athletic body was now decrepit, ravaged by years of hard labor and illness. His muscles had atrophied, and his movements were slow and labored. Though his mind was sharp as a tack, his physical form was but a shadow of what it used to be, a heartbreaking reminder of his youth.