disintegration

UK: /dɪsˌɪntɪˈgreɪʃ^ən/

US: /dɪsˌɪntəˈgreɪʃən/

US: (dis in′tə grā′shən)

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

dis•in•te•gra•tion  (dis in′tə grā′shən), n. 

1. the act or process of disintegrating.
2. Physics decay (def. 8).

• disintegrate + -ion 1790–1800

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

dis•in•te•grate /dɪsˈɪntəˌgreɪt/   v., -grat•ed, -grat•ing. 

1. to (cause to) lose solidness or strength; (cause to) break up or fall apart: [no object]
   At that speed the plane began to disintegrate.
   [~ + object]
   The bullets tearing into the house disintegrated the flimsy walls.

dis•in•te•gra•tion /dɪsˌɪntəˈgreɪʃən/  n. [uncountable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

dis•in•te•grate  (dis in′tə grāt′), v., -grat•ed, -grat•ing. 
v.i. 

1. to separate into parts or lose intactness or solidness; break up;
   deteriorate:
   The old book is gradually disintegrating with age.
2. [Physics.]
   • to decay.
   • (of a nucleus) to change into one or more different nuclei after being bombarded by high-energy particles, as alpha particles or gamma rays.

v.t. 

3. to reduce to particles, fragments, or parts;
   break up or destroy the cohesion of:
   Rocks are disintegrated by frost and rain.

• dis-¹ + integrate 1790–1800

dis•in•te•gra•ble  (dis in′tə grə bəl), adj.  dis•in′te•gra′tive, dis•in•te•gra•to•ry  (dis in′tə grə tôr′ē, -tōr′ē, -grā′tə rē), adj.  dis•in′te•gra′tor, n. 
Synonyms

• 1, 3. . See decay.