disintegrate
verb
dis·in·te·grate
(ˌ)dis-ˈin-tə-ˌgrāt 
disintegrated; disintegrating; disintegrates
1
: to break or decompose into constituent elements, parts, or small particles
water disintegrates the limestone
2
: to destroy the unity or integrity (see integrity sense 3) of
The lies disintegrated their marriage.
1
: to break or separate into constituent elements or parts
The iron hinges were disintegrating into dust.
2
: to lose unity or integrity by or as if by breaking into parts
The relationship started to disintegrate.
3
: to undergo a change in composition (see composition sense 2)
an atomic nucleus that disintegrates because of radioactivity
Synonyms
Examples of disintegrate in a Sentence
The paper will disintegrate if it gets wet.
The laser can disintegrate most kinds of rock.
Recent Examples on the Web
Worse, the blanket could disintegrate with sun exposure and release microplastics into the air and water.
—
Andrea Vasquez Guillen, Washington Post, 1 July 2024
At an internal temperature of 107 degrees, the membranes around your cells disintegrate.
—Corinne Purtill, Los Angeles Times, 23 June 2024
But Russian states overseen from St. Petersburg and Moscow, respectively, both disintegrated in the past 100-odd years, both times unexpectedly yet completely.
—Stephen Kotkin, Foreign Affairs, 18 Apr. 2024
What’s left of the ship, which lies two miles beneath the ocean, will disintegrate within the next 30 years, per Business Insider.
—Marina Watts, Peoplemag, 18 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for disintegrate 
Andrea Vasquez Guillen, Washington Post, 1 July 2024
At an internal temperature of 107 degrees, the membranes around your cells disintegrate.
—Corinne Purtill, Los Angeles Times, 23 June 2024
But Russian states overseen from St. Petersburg and Moscow, respectively, both disintegrated in the past 100-odd years, both times unexpectedly yet completely.
—Stephen Kotkin, Foreign Affairs, 18 Apr. 2024
What’s left of the ship, which lies two miles beneath the ocean, will disintegrate within the next 30 years, per Business Insider.
—Marina Watts, Peoplemag, 18 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for disintegrate
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'disintegrate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near disintegrate
Cite this Entry
“Disintegrate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disintegrate. Accessed 7 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
disintegrate
verb
dis·in·te·grate
(ˈ)dis-ˈint-ə-ˌgrāt
1
: to break or decompose into the elements, parts, or small particles making up something
2
: to go through a change in composition
an atomic nucleus that disintegrates because of radioactivity
Medical Definition
disintegrate
verb
dis·in·te·grate
(ˈ)dis-ˈint-ə-ˌgrāt
disintegrated; disintegrating
: to break or decompose into constituent elements, parts, or small particles
1
: to break or separate into constituent elements or parts
2
: to undergo a change in composition
an atomic nucleus that disintegrates because of radioactivity
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