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
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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
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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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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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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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Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of decay
Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 23 Sep. 2025
As that interior strife becomes more evident, the beautiful mountain village gives way to rot, decay, and of course, actual monsters.
—Vincent Acovino, NPR, 22 Sep. 2025
Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 23 Sep. 2025
Rubicon is a warning about how republics decay, and how institutional reverence alone, without cultivating a common moral framework, is not sufficient to keep a state intact.
—Zephyr Teachout, The Atlantic, 22 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for decay
Noun
The two manage to thrive together amid the decay and disorder of their East Hampton, New York mansion, making for an eerily ramshackle echo of the American Camelot.
—Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 23 Sep. 2025
As that interior strife becomes more evident, the beautiful mountain village gives way to rot, decay, and of course, actual monsters.
—Vincent Acovino, NPR, 22 Sep. 2025
Verb
There is natural beauty, too, with landscapes of Trento, Italy’s trees changing and decaying over time informing a lot of the textures.
—Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 23 Sep. 2025
Rubicon is a warning about how republics decay, and how institutional reverence alone, without cultivating a common moral framework, is not sufficient to keep a state intact.
—Zephyr Teachout, The Atlantic, 22 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for decay
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decay
Noun
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Mahama’s installations, which say something about societal deterioration, also dramatize the country’s inability to sustain robust funding in the arts or technology in its postindependence years.—
Edna Bonhomme,
Artforum,
1 Oct. 2025
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Indeed, September’s deterioration doesn’t signal the first time the indicator has entered recession territory—it’s been there since February 2025—but marks a further step away from a healthy outlook over a prolonged period of time.—
Eleanor Pringle,
Fortune,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
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After extinguishing the fire, officials found Robert Hill, 44, deceased with severe burns, apparent head trauma, and signs of decomposition, according to Melesa Johnson with the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office.—
Noelle Alviz-Gransee,
Kansas City Star,
29 Sep. 2025
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Authorities located a body in the front trunk of the Tesla that was in a state of decomposition, LAPD sources said.—
Alex Stone,
ABC News,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
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But a lot of risk in eating a rotting carcass that has sat in the sun a day too long.—
Inga,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 Sep. 2025
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According to the Riverfront Times, portions of his fingers had rotted away before anyone found him.—
Christina Coulter,
PEOPLE,
27 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Breaking them down to save for a later date isn’t enough, as bugs will still nestle their way in even as the cardboard deteriorates.—
Mary Cornetta,
Better Homes & Gardens,
1 Oct. 2025
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Advertisement Our hygiene deteriorates.—
Eli Sharabi,
Time,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
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As anger fades into apathy and grief is aggravated by guilt, the public also chooses silence.—
Yangyang Cheng,
NPR,
4 Oct. 2025
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While pie crust seems to be fading away, some chefs would rather think completely outside the box by creating a completely different crust.—
Amber Love Bond,
Southern Living,
4 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The hurricane center said some gradual weakening is expected during the next couple of days as the storm continues to move in a general northeastward direction.—
Gabe Hauari,
USA Today,
23 Sep. 2025
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The meeting comes as the central bank is in a bit of a bind, given the recent uptick in inflation that has coincided with a weakening of the job market.—
Zev Fima,Jeff Marks,
CNBC,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
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These clippings decompose rapidly, enhancing soil quality and providing nutrients for your turf grass.—
Megan Hughes,
Better Homes & Gardens,
2 Oct. 2025
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Water molecules in the electrolyte tend to decompose, and zinc deposits unevenly, forming dendrites that can cause short circuits.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
27 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Perhaps most puzzling was coordinator Jeff Hafley’s defense crumbling in the second half and overtime after three weeks of being arguably the league’s best defense.—
Matt Schneidman,
New York Times,
29 Sep. 2025
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The defense then crumbled in the red zone for a hat trick of first-half scores.—
Mike Kaye
September 28,
Charlotte Observer,
28 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Decay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decay. Accessed 5 Oct. 2025.
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