blight
gb/blˈaɪt/ us/blˈaɪt/
C1
English
tönkretesz, rákfene, ragya, leromlás
VERB
C1
1
tönkretesz
B1
Usage pattern:
blight [someone]'s [plans/hopes/chances/life/career]
The scandal blighted his chances of being elected.
A botrány tönkretette a megválasztási esélyeit.
Repeated delays blighted the project from the start.
Az ismétlődő késések már a kezdetektől tönkretették a projektet.
A serious injury blighted her promising career.
Learner examples
The accident blighted his plans.
A baleset tönkretette a terveit.
The new rules blighted our chances.
Az új szabályok tönkretették az esélyeinket.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this with "bright" or use it for small problems; "blight" suggests serious harm.
Meaning
ruin or spoil something
Collocations
blight hopes
|blight chances
|blight prospects
|blight a career
|blight a life
|blight the future
|blight development
|blight progress
|blight efforts
|blight recovery
Synonyms
ruin (More general; "blight" often implies lasting harm.)
|
spoil (Often less severe than "blight.")
|
mar (Suggests damaging something otherwise good, sometimes less completely.)
Antonyms
improve (Makes something better rather than worse.)
|
revive (Brings something back to health or success.)
Themes
daily_life
|emotions
|work
|society
Definition
to make something fail or become much worse
To seriously spoil, damage, or prevent the success of something such as plans, hopes, chances, or a period of time.
NOUN
C1
FORMAL
2
rákfene
C1
Usage pattern:
a blight on [something]
Many residents see gang violence as a blight on the area.
Sok helybeli a bandák erőszakát a környék rákfenéjének tartja.
Illegal dumping became a blight on the shoreline.
Az illegális hulladéklerakás a partszakasz rákfenéjévé vált.
He considered the empty, broken buildings a blight on the town.
Learner examples
Litter is a blight on the beach.
A szemét a strand rákfenéje.
Common mistake:
Often used with "on" ("a blight on the community"), not *"a blight for".
Meaning
thing that causes serious harm
Collocations
a blight on society
|a blight on the community
|a blight on the neighborhood
|a blight on their reputation
|a blight on his legacy
|a blight on the landscape
|a growing blight
|a persistent blight
|remove a blight
|fight a blight
Synonyms
curse (More emotional and dramatic; can sound less formal.)
|
scourge (Often used for widespread social problems; stronger and more formal.)
|
plague (Suggests something that repeatedly troubles or afflicts.)
Antonyms
blessing (Something that brings benefit rather than harm.)
|
asset (Something helpful or valuable instead of damaging.)
Themes
society
|problems
|emotions
Definition
a serious problem that harms something
A person, thing, or situation that causes persistent damage, misery, or failure.
NOUN
C1
TECHNICAL
3
ragya
C2
Usage pattern:
[crop/plant] blight
Farmers lost much of the crop to blight after weeks of wet weather.
A hetekig tartó nedves idő után a gazdák a termés nagy részét a ragya miatt veszítették el.
The extension office warned gardeners about blight in tomatoes this season.
A szaktanácsadó szolgálat ebben a szezonban a paradicsom ragyájára figyelmeztette a kertészeket.
They planted blight-resistant varieties to reduce losses.
Learner examples
Blight can kill plants.
A ragya elpusztíthatja a növényeket.
Common mistake:
In this sense, "blight" is a disease name; it does not mean any small spot or insect damage.
Meaning
plant disease causing damage
Collocations
potato blight
|tomato blight
|chestnut blight
|fire blight
|late blight
|early blight
|a blight outbreak
|blight-resistant
|blight spreads
|control blight
Synonyms
plant disease (A general term; "blight" is a specific type/category name.)
|
rot (Focuses on decay; "blight" can include withering and dieback too.)
Antonyms
healthy growth (The absence of disease damage in plants.)
Themes
nature
|farming
|science
Definition
a disease that damages plants
A plant disease, typically caused by fungi or bacteria, that makes leaves, stems, or fruit wither, rot, or die.
VERB
C1
TECHNICAL
4
tönkretesz
B1
Usage pattern:
[disease/weather/pests] blight [plants/crops/leaves/blossoms]
A fungal infection blighted the vines within days.
Egy gombás fertőzés napokon belül tönkretette a szőlőtőkéket.
Late frosts blighted the blossoms and reduced the harvest.
A késői fagyok tönkretették a virágokat, és csökkentették a termést.
The disease can blight entire fields if conditions are right.
Learner examples
Frost blighted the flowers.
A fagy tönkretette a virágokat.
Common mistake:
Do not use for ordinary harvesting or pruning; it means harmful damage, often disease-related.
Meaning
damage plants by blight
Collocations
blight crops
|blight potatoes
|blight tomato plants
|blight leaves
|blight blossoms
|blight orchards
|fungus blighted
|drought blighted
|frost blighted
|pests blighted
Synonyms
wither (Describes drying/shriveling; "blight" emphasizes harmful cause and broader damage.)
|
infect (Focuses on disease entering; "blight" focuses on the resulting damage.)
Antonyms
nourish (Helps plants grow rather than harming them.)
|
protect (Prevents damage instead of causing it.)
Themes
nature
|farming
Definition
to make plants wither or die
To damage or kill plants by causing them to wither or rot, especially through disease, pests, or unfavorable weather.
NOUN
C1
FORMAL
5
leromlás
C1
Usage pattern:
[urban/city/neighborhood] blight
The city launched a program to address blight and vacant properties.
A város programot indított a leromlás és az üresen álló ingatlanok problémájának kezelésére.
Residents complained that abandoned houses were spreading blight.
A lakosok arra panaszkodtak, hogy az elhagyott házak gyorsítják a leromlást.
New businesses helped reverse blight in the downtown area.
Learner examples
The town is trying to stop blight.
A város próbálja megállítani a leromlást.
Common mistake:
Often used in policy or news contexts; it refers to an area's condition, not just one ugly building.
Meaning
urban decay and neglect
Collocations
urban blight
|neighborhood blight
|city blight
|tackle blight
|combat blight
|prevent blight
|blight removal
|blight reduction
|signs of blight
|property blight
Synonyms
decay (General decline; "blight" often implies visible neglect and social/economic effects.)
|
deterioration (More general and neutral; "blight" is more evaluative.)
Antonyms
revitalization (Improving and renewing an area.)
|
regeneration (Restoring an area through redevelopment and investment.)
Themes
society
|housing
|cities
Definition
when an area becomes poor and neglected
A condition in which a neighborhood or area becomes run-down, often marked by abandoned buildings, declining services, and reduced investment.
Grammar
Dictionary form
blight
IPA
GB/blˈaɪt/
US/blˈaɪt/
Syllables & stress
blight (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (blight)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: blight
- Plural: blight
Verb
- Base: blight
- 3rd Person Singular: blights
- Present Participle: blighting
- Past: blighted
Word family
Forms
blights
verb
blighting
verb
blighted
verb
Advanced or less common
blighter
noun
Expressions
a blight on [something]
1/ə blˈaɪt ˈɔn sˈʌmθɪŋ/
fixed phrase
formal
a serious stain or harm
a serious problem for something
Examples
- Many people see corruption as a blight on public life.
- The unfinished building has become a blight on the neighborhood.
- He viewed the comments as a blight on the company's reputation.
Learner examples
- Trash is a blight on the park.
late blight
1/lˈeɪt blˈaɪt/
fixed phrase
technical
a destructive plant disease
a plant disease that can destroy crops
Examples
- Gardeners watched for late blight after several rainy weeks.
- Late blight can spread rapidly across a field.
- They removed infected plants to slow late blight.
potato blight
1/pətˈeɪtoʊ blˈaɪt/
fixed phrase
technical
disease that harms potatoes
a disease that damages potato plants
Examples
- Potato blight forced several farms to destroy infected plants.
- The region monitors potato blight to protect growers.
- Wet summers increase the risk of potato blight.
urban blight
1/ˈɚbən blˈaɪt/
fixed phrase
formal
decay in a city area
when parts of a city become poor and neglected
Examples
- The report links urban blight to long-term job losses.
- They bought vacant lots to help fight urban blight.
- Community groups are working to prevent urban blight in the district.
Learner examples
- The city wants to reduce urban blight.