1
as in degenerate
having lost forcefulness, courage, or spirit
a candidate who vehemently rejects the idea that liberalism is a decayed political philosophy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in rotten
having undergone organic breakdown
we routinely throw all decayed or unwanted organic matter into our compost heap
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in decomposed
to go through decomposition
the logs decayed on the rain forest floor the atom of plutonium decayed in the test chamber
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in deteriorated
to become worse or of less value
the restaurant's standards for food and service had decayed over the years
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in faded
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 decayed
Marina Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 7 Aug. 2025
The breakthrough came when researchers focused on coelomic fluid, the internal liquid surrounding the sea stars’ organs, rather than tissue from decayed specimens.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 4 Aug. 2025
Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 7 Dec. 2025
The color comes from the water soaking in peat, partially decayed plant matter that can be hundreds of years old.
—Sheeka Sanahori, Outside, 11 Nov. 2025
The lawsuit states that the branch fell from a tree that was clearly unhealthy, decayed and had deadwood.
—Caleb Lunetta, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Nov. 2025
The leather on the shoes appears to be slightly decayed, worn, cracked and brittle, while the laces and midsole are stained, giving a distressed, lived-in effect.
—Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 27 Oct. 2025
In due course of time, the organic material decayed, and the skeleton underneath fossilized over longer timescales.
—Abhishek Bhardwaj, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2025
In other words, the original skin inside the clay layer must have decayed and washed away, while the same groundwater saturated the bones en route to their fossilization.
—Paul C. Sereno, The Conversation, 24 Oct. 2025
Then, weeks after they were buried, the soft parts of the carcasses decayed and were washed away by groundwater, leaving the clay mask to forever preserve the forms of what lay just beneath, Sereno says.
—Andrea Tamayo, Scientific American, 23 Oct. 2025
An early form of one type of energy that decayed into another?
—Big Think, 17 Oct. 2025
Adjective
Of the 20 dead cats, eight were too decayed for a necropsy exam, which determines the cause of death of a dead animal and any associated diseases or injuries.
—Marina Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 7 Aug. 2025
The breakthrough came when researchers focused on coelomic fluid, the internal liquid surrounding the sea stars’ organs, rather than tissue from decayed specimens.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 4 Aug. 2025
Verb
When excavations first began in the mid-1700s, everything beneath the ash layer was still preserved — but the top floors had decayed and disappeared.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 7 Dec. 2025
The color comes from the water soaking in peat, partially decayed plant matter that can be hundreds of years old.
—Sheeka Sanahori, Outside, 11 Nov. 2025
The lawsuit states that the branch fell from a tree that was clearly unhealthy, decayed and had deadwood.
—Caleb Lunetta, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Nov. 2025
The leather on the shoes appears to be slightly decayed, worn, cracked and brittle, while the laces and midsole are stained, giving a distressed, lived-in effect.
—Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 27 Oct. 2025
In due course of time, the organic material decayed, and the skeleton underneath fossilized over longer timescales.
—Abhishek Bhardwaj, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2025
In other words, the original skin inside the clay layer must have decayed and washed away, while the same groundwater saturated the bones en route to their fossilization.
—Paul C. Sereno, The Conversation, 24 Oct. 2025
Then, weeks after they were buried, the soft parts of the carcasses decayed and were washed away by groundwater, leaving the clay mask to forever preserve the forms of what lay just beneath, Sereno says.
—Andrea Tamayo, Scientific American, 23 Oct. 2025
An early form of one type of energy that decayed into another?
—Big Think, 17 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decayed
Adjective
-
Michael Rubin, the founder and chief executive officer of Fanatics, describes himself as a scrappy entrepreneur, someone who doesn’t read and a degenerate gambler.—
David Moin,
Footwear News,
12 Jan. 2026
-
In two minutes of ranting and raving about his degenerate son’s twenty-six-thousand-dollar dinner bill, Reiner gave an indelible comedic performance destined to be quoted for years to come.—
Alexandra Schwartz,
New Yorker,
17 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
Four long years, during which the relationship between the flashy, flamboyant player and the sometimes-stodgy organization that turned him into a Charlotte legend seemed to spoil, turning almost rotten at times.—
Théoden Janes,
Charlotte Observer,
10 Jan. 2026
-
Traitors is about the gullible and the skeptical working together to sieve the fraudulent from the truthful, an amalgamated nightmare of village idiots locking themselves in the stocks and pelting each other with rotten fruit.—
Raven Smith,
Vogue,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Ackerman’s remains were significantly decomposed and partially mummified, according to the autopsy report.—
Shelly Bradbury,
Denver Post,
8 Jan. 2026
-
The child's body was decomposed, per the Sheriff's Office.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
PEOPLE,
26 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
At the time, Denver’s Landmark Preservation office told the Denver Gazette that the old neon was too deteriorated to restore.—
Noelle Phillips,
Denver Post,
11 Jan. 2026
-
The already-frosty relationship between Devers and the front office deteriorated to an irreparable level in May, when Triston Casas suffered a season-ending knee injury.—
Gabrielle Starr,
Boston Herald,
11 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Once the flowers have faded, trim the stalks 1 to 2 inches above the bulb, retaining the green foliage.—
Cameron Beall,
Southern Living,
8 Jan. 2026
-
The Lakers faded down the stretch to 27 points from the Spurs’ Keldon Johnson and 16 points and 14 rebounds by Victor Wembanyama.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
New orders contracted for a fourth month and export bookings remained weak, based on the ISM data.—
Reade Pickert Bloomberg,
Arkansas Online,
6 Jan. 2026
-
Getting too little of either can lead to weak, brittle bones, and too much can also cause problems (like kidney stones or nausea).—
T'Keyah Bazin,
Verywell Health,
6 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
What to Do With Overripe Pears Not to worry if pears are soft but not spoiled.—
Lynn Andriani,
Martha Stewart,
8 Jan. 2026
-
The United Center cheers were nearly spoiled when Golden Knights coach Bruce Cassidy challenged the game-winner for an offside penalty.—
Kalen Lumpkins,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
That includes money to replace a lot of wood that rotted away due to holes in the roof and walls.—
Mark Price,
Charlotte Observer,
12 Jan. 2026
-
With the high humidity, most of the stock had rotted in a few days.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
12 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Decayed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decayed. Accessed 14 Jan. 2026.
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