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blight

BLYTE /blaɪt/

nounverbC1GRESATIELTS

formaljournalisticliterary

A state or condition of devastation, ruin, or physical deterioration affecting an urban environment or crop.

In urban planning, 'blight' refers to visible decay—abandoned buildings, trash-strewn lots, and unsafe infrastructure.

The story behind the word. Originally used by 16th-century English farmers to describe mysterious plant diseases that blackened crops overnight. In the 20th century, city planners borrowed the metaphor to describe neighborhood rot.

Word relationships

eyesore: An eyesore is merely ugly to look at, whereas blight implies economic decay, neglect, and systemic neighborhood damage.
decay: Decay is the natural process of decomposition, while blight highlights visible economic and physical ruin.

boon: A helpful, beneficial blessing or asset.
flourishing: Thriving, growing, and prospering robustly.

Commonly confused with

plague: Plague is an infectious disease or epidemic, whereas blight refers to agricultural disease or physical urban decay.

Word family

blighted (adjective): Deteriorated, spoiled, or damaged.

Collocations

urban blight
blight on the landscape
blighted neighborhood
combat blight

Idioms & expressions

a blot on the landscape

Example sentences

"The city instituted a vacant property tax designed to combat urban blight in neglected industrial sectors." City municipal ordinance
"Community gardens were planted on empty lots to eliminate neighborhood blight and encourage social connection." Neighborhood renovation project

Memory hook

BLIGHT sounds like BLACK NIGHT — dark, ruinous rot on buildings. Rotting property spreading like a disease.

When not to use

Do not use to describe simple cleanliness issues like unwashed dishes or temporary mess.

Fun facts

The legal designation of an area as 'blighted' often gives city governments legal power to use eminent domain for redevelopment.