1
botany
: affected with blight (see blight entry 1 sense 1)
a blighted plant
This pathogen causes blighted flowers, heavy leaf spotting, and the death of young, green shoots.—
Elsie Cox
Elsie Cox2
: in a badly damaged or deteriorated condition
a blighted landscape
a blighted city
… the physicians who work here in some of the nation's most blighted neighborhoods …—Malcolm Gladwell
Malcolm Gladwell3
: made ineffectual : defeated or frustrated
blighted dreams
At every point we are confronted with shattered promises, blighted hopes, irreconcilable dilemmas, good intentions gone astray …—Gertrude Himmelfarb
Gertrude HimmelfarbExamples of blighted in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Grants are funded by Gov. Bill Lee's Rural Brownfield Redevelopment Investment Act, approved by the legislature in 2023, aimed at giving local governments and development boards resources for investigation, cleanup and redevelopment of blighted properties in rural areas.
—Vivian Jones, Nashville Tennessean, 20 Dec. 2024
San Jose city officials have directed harsh words at private property owners who have allowed their sites to become blighted, particularly in the city’s downtown district.
—George Avalos, The Mercury News, 31 Dec. 2024
The city of Indianapolis has started tearing down eight vacant buildings at Towne and Terrace, a blighted housing complex on the far east side, and will pay to relocate a total of 120 households to allow for demolition of the entire site by early 2026.
—Jordan Smith, The Indianapolis Star, 17 Dec. 2024
Residents say that blighted homes and empty lots have a dispiriting effect on their day-to-day lives and send a clear message that their neighborhoods are not a priority.
—Julie Bosman, New York Times, 15 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for blighted 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Vivian Jones, Nashville Tennessean, 20 Dec. 2024
San Jose city officials have directed harsh words at private property owners who have allowed their sites to become blighted, particularly in the city’s downtown district.
—George Avalos, The Mercury News, 31 Dec. 2024
The city of Indianapolis has started tearing down eight vacant buildings at Towne and Terrace, a blighted housing complex on the far east side, and will pay to relocate a total of 120 households to allow for demolition of the entire site by early 2026.
—Jordan Smith, The Indianapolis Star, 17 Dec. 2024
Residents say that blighted homes and empty lots have a dispiriting effect on their day-to-day lives and send a clear message that their neighborhoods are not a priority.
—Julie Bosman, New York Times, 15 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for blighted
Dictionary Entries Near blighted
Cite this Entry
“Blighted.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/blighted. Accessed 22 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share