disintegration
noun
dis·in·te·gra·tion
(ˌ)dis-ˌin-tə-ˈgrā-shən 
plural disintegrations
: the act or process of disintegrating or the state of being disintegrated: such as
a
: the breaking down of something into small particles or into its constituent elements
Some glaciers have been destabilized by warmer ocean waters. Scientists fear that parts of the ice sheet may be in the early stages of an unstoppable disintegration.—
Justin Gillis
Justin GillisBut miraculously, officials say, the countless bits of debris from the disintegration of the space shuttle Columbia injured not a soul on the ground.—The New York Times
The New York Times
b
: loss of unity or integrity by or as if by breaking into parts
Declining sales led to the company's gradual disintegration and ultimate demise.
What's more, the fear of many conservatives that we might be at the mercy of unstoppable forces of social disintegration turned out to be wrong.—William Kristol
William KristolOver the long run, however, there is no substitute for addressing the root causes of crime—bad education and lack of job opportunities and the disintegration of families.—Daniel D. Polsby
Daniel D. PolsbyExamples of disintegration in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Supporters cast Putin, who Russian pollsters say has approval ratings of above 85%, as a savior who pushed back against an arrogant West and put an end to the chaos which accompanied the 1991 disintegration of the Soviet Union.
—Reuters, CNN Money, 4 May 2025
But to me, there’s forces of disintegration and integration at all times.
—Yvonne Villarreal, Los Angeles Times, 24 Apr. 2025
But none of these storylines was as high stakes or as bleak as Tim’s disintegration, through which the show examined all the ways in which a seemingly upstanding family man with no known history of violence might come to murder his wife and children.
—Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 8 Apr. 2025
That’s because of a potential disintegration of the de minimis provision, which currently allows parcels valued under $800 to enter the U.S. without duties.
—Meghan Hall, Sourcing Journal, 19 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for disintegration
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Reuters, CNN Money, 4 May 2025
But to me, there’s forces of disintegration and integration at all times.
—Yvonne Villarreal, Los Angeles Times, 24 Apr. 2025
But none of these storylines was as high stakes or as bleak as Tim’s disintegration, through which the show examined all the ways in which a seemingly upstanding family man with no known history of violence might come to murder his wife and children.
—Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 8 Apr. 2025
That’s because of a potential disintegration of the de minimis provision, which currently allows parcels valued under $800 to enter the U.S. without duties.
—Meghan Hall, Sourcing Journal, 19 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for disintegration
Cite this Entry
“Disintegration.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disintegration. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.
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