1
as in deterioration
a gradual sinking and wasting away of mind or body
middle-aged people who fervently hope that daily exercise will arrest the physical decay that usually accompanies advancing age
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in decomposition
the process by which dead organic matter separates into simpler substances
the cycle by which the decay of dead plants on the forest floor provides soil and nutrients for the next generation of plants
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to rot
to go through decomposition
the logs decayed on the rain forest floor the atom of plutonium decayed in the test chamber
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to deteriorate
to become worse or of less value
the restaurant's standards for food and service had decayed over the years
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to fade
to lose bodily strength or vigor
having reached her 80s, the woman could sense that her body was decaying
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of decay
Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 4 Nov. 2025
The painter incorporates surreal imagery in the short film to signify the gaps between life and death, body and spirit, and decay and renewal.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 3 Nov. 2025
Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025
Ronnie is able to bite through the cord and separate herself, but her mother — now demonic and decaying — rushes toward her.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 3 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for decay
Noun
Helmy will play a principled zoologist working in Cairo’s historical Giza Zoo, struggling to uphold his values amid dwindling resources and quiet institutional decay, while facing faces mounting financial pressure at home.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 4 Nov. 2025
The painter incorporates surreal imagery in the short film to signify the gaps between life and death, body and spirit, and decay and renewal.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 3 Nov. 2025
Verb
The smell indicates that there’s a bad infection or decaying flesh.
—Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025
Ronnie is able to bite through the cord and separate herself, but her mother — now demonic and decaying — rushes toward her.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 3 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for decay
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decay
Noun
-
With the deterioration and rise of crime in South Beach in the late 1970s, as well as inflation and the shrinking tourist business, the Famous was forced to close in 1981.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
6 Jan. 2026
-
While analysts do not expect the rift to escalate into direct conflict, even a limited deterioration could carry far-reaching consequences.—
Abbas Al Lawati,
CNN Money,
5 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
On the property, there were 27 deceased dogs documented since August 1st alone, all in varying stages of decomposition.—
J.D. Miles,
CBS News,
10 Jan. 2026
-
The organic matter component of soil derives from the natural decomposition of dead plants, microorganisms, and small soil animals.—
Miri Talabac,
Baltimore Sun,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Rourke alleged that the floors were rotted, there was no running water in a couple of places there should have been and the place was infested with rodents.—
Assistant Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Jan. 2026
-
Their roots need air, and soil can be too dense and lead to rotting roots.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The price of gold, long understood to be the investor’s refuge against a deteriorating dollar, is sounding an alarm.—
Bruce Yandle,
Twin Cities,
9 Jan. 2026
-
When those conditions are absent, performance deteriorates quickly.—
Katerin Le Folcalvez,
Fortune,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
For one night, under cold rain and flickering red lights, the noise faded.—
Ira Gorawara,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
-
Once summer flowers fade and growth stops, start cleaning up the garden.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
8 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
While the economy has been resilient for the most part, any weakening in 2026 could have an outsize effect on more price-sensitive consumers and, therefore, airlines that are more exposed to coach-class domestic travel, like lower-cost carriers.—
Leslie Josephs,
CNBC,
2 Jan. 2026
-
One is the weakening of the American economy.—
David Frum,
The Atlantic,
31 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Investigators later searched the Ephrata home and storage unit of Jonathan Christ Gerlach, 34, and reported finding more than 100 human skulls, long bones, mummified hands and feet, two decomposing torsos and other skeletal items.—
Mark Scolforo,
Fortune,
9 Jan. 2026
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For nearly two weeks before embarking on the cross-country road trip, the teenager lived with his parents’ decomposing bodies.—
David Zimmermann,
The Washington Examiner,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Along with everything else, Johnson sought to erase the Murphy’s Law mentality of a team that always seemed to find ways to crumble in big moments.—
Dan Wiederer,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
-
McKnight was temporarily living in a crumbling budget hotel nearby.—
Saumya Roy,
The Dial,
6 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Decay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decay. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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