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
Relevance
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
Clara Moskowitz, Scientific American, 4 Feb. 2026
Some 64 years later, the development is officially coming down, following years of decay, neglect and abandonment.
—Eric Adler, Kansas City Star, 4 Feb. 2026
Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 9 Feb. 2026
Not only does topping a crape myrtle turn it into an eyesore, but these brutal pruning cuts can cause disease and decay to set into the wood.
—Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for decay
Noun
The direction of the momentum for these decay particles reveals the spin of the lambda hyperons that created them.
—Clara Moskowitz, Scientific American, 4 Feb. 2026
Some 64 years later, the development is officially coming down, following years of decay, neglect and abandonment.
—Eric Adler, Kansas City Star, 4 Feb. 2026
Verb
These rely on the heat released by decaying plutonium to generate electricity.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 9 Feb. 2026
Not only does topping a crape myrtle turn it into an eyesore, but these brutal pruning cuts can cause disease and decay to set into the wood.
—Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for decay
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decay
Noun
-
Avalanches are rapid, massive slides of snow, ice, rock and soil that can be caused by storms, earthquakes or snowpack deterioration.—
Ramon Padilla,
USA Today,
19 Feb. 2026
-
With Amazon Web Services (AWS), advertising and logistics automation continuing to scale, Amazon’s recent weakness appears to reflect sentiment fatigue rather than a deterioration in business quality.—
Tony Zhang,
CNBC,
18 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
In fact, adding brown material like toilet paper tubes will even speed up the decomposition process and balance out your green kitchen waste.—
Michelle Mastro,
The Spruce,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Officials later confirmed Arakawa showed signs of advanced decomposition.—
Stephanie Giang-Paunon , Larry Fink,
FOXNews.com,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
In a culture of AI slop and brain rot, and in an administration that prioritizes propaganda and graft over governing.—
Charlie Warzel,
The Atlantic,
14 Feb. 2026
-
Note that this is a temporary arrangement, as cranberries will rot in water.—
Miranda Crowell,
Better Homes & Gardens,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
As her vision deteriorates, Penny turns to psychoanalysis not in hopes of reversing her condition, but to confront years of denial and silence.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Common findings from sewer scopes include root intrusion at joints (especially common in clay pipes), belly or sag in the line where water pools, cracked or offset joints, and deteriorated Orangeburg sections.—
Allison Palmer
Updated February 19,
Kansas City Star,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Once the blocks and spires of Palma faded into the distance, the 25-minute drive from the airport took me past crumbling homes, fields of curious farm animals, and not a soul in sight for miles at a time.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Singleton acknowledged that sustaining the coordinated, multi-agency model beyond the World Cup will be difficult once the spotlight fades.—
Cierra Morgan,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Artificial gravity wards against the dangers of microgravity, including bone loss, muscle wasting, heart weakening, and eye destabilization.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
19 Feb. 2026
-
David Reichel, executive director of the Sierra Avalanche Center, which issues forecasts for the Tahoe-Truckee area, says his group is monitoring the recent weakening of the snow surface.—
Tom Metcalfe,
Scientific American,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
To prevent the fallow area from turning into a weed patch, cover it with agricultural-grade plastic or a thick layer of slowly decomposing mulch such as wood chips.—
Nadia Hassani,
The Spruce,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Most paper products decompose in landfills within a couple of months, according to RecycleNation, a recycling technology company.—
Julia James,
Dallas Morning News,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
George Washington's chin is crumbling.—
Danielle Paquette The Washington Post,
Arkansas Online,
17 Feb. 2026
-
After Malinin botched his final free in the singles competition, Cowan kept his distance as the skater crumbled into a grimace of abject disappointment.—
Colleen Barry,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Decay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decay. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
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