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
Helena Madden, Martha Stewart, 2 Apr. 2026
The farm buildings on the property—long verandas, shearing sheds, and concrete kennels—are old and decayed, remnants from long before the group showed up.
—Robert Rubsam, The Atlantic, 26 Mar. 2026
Vines growing on the trunk and branches can hide structural damage or potential hazards like a canker or decayed section of a branch or the trunk.
—Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 22 Mar. 2026
Some are sandy; others are rich in organic matter formed from centuries of decayed plants.
—Dinesh Phuyal, The Conversation, 26 Jan. 2026
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
Brett Tingley, Space.com, 12 June 2026
But since sitting vacant, the property has decayed and listed in city property records as unoccupiable.
—Melissa Melvin-Rodriguez, Charlotte Observer, 18 May 2026
And what with all the love and pain, something in me softened—or maybe decayed.
—Eva Wiseman, Vogue, 7 May 2026
Some decayed quickly, effectively disappearing without having done much harm.
—Eduardo B. Farfán, The Conversation, 21 Apr. 2026
It was revealed in court that the beech tree at the center of the incident had decayed prior to the branch falling, according to the Evening News and BBC.
—Abigail Adams, PEOPLE, 14 Apr. 2026
This correlation survived as the quarks formed hyperons and persisted even after the hyperons decayed in less than a tenth of a billionth of a second.
—Chris Young, Interesting Engineering, 9 Apr. 2026
If these materials are already partly decayed, they’re called compost.
—Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, 15 Mar. 2026
In 2024, Bloomberg, citing anonymous sources, reported that Clearlake and Boehly each explored buying the other one out as the relationship between them decayed.
—Justin Birnbaum, Sportico.com, 6 Mar. 2026
Adjective
Discard any that look dead or decayed.
—Helena Madden, Martha Stewart, 2 Apr. 2026
The farm buildings on the property—long verandas, shearing sheds, and concrete kennels—are old and decayed, remnants from long before the group showed up.
—Robert Rubsam, The Atlantic, 26 Mar. 2026
Vines growing on the trunk and branches can hide structural damage or potential hazards like a canker or decayed section of a branch or the trunk.
—Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 22 Mar. 2026
Some are sandy; others are rich in organic matter formed from centuries of decayed plants.
—Dinesh Phuyal, The Conversation, 26 Jan. 2026
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
The satellite's orbit has decayed from an initial 373 miles (600 kilometers) to about 249 miles (400 km), but NASA wants to save it by using LINK to boost it back up to a healthy orbit.
—Brett Tingley, Space.com, 12 June 2026
But since sitting vacant, the property has decayed and listed in city property records as unoccupiable.
—Melissa Melvin-Rodriguez, Charlotte Observer, 18 May 2026
And what with all the love and pain, something in me softened—or maybe decayed.
—Eva Wiseman, Vogue, 7 May 2026
Some decayed quickly, effectively disappearing without having done much harm.
—Eduardo B. Farfán, The Conversation, 21 Apr. 2026
It was revealed in court that the beech tree at the center of the incident had decayed prior to the branch falling, according to the Evening News and BBC.
—Abigail Adams, PEOPLE, 14 Apr. 2026
This correlation survived as the quarks formed hyperons and persisted even after the hyperons decayed in less than a tenth of a billionth of a second.
—Chris Young, Interesting Engineering, 9 Apr. 2026
If these materials are already partly decayed, they’re called compost.
—Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, 15 Mar. 2026
In 2024, Bloomberg, citing anonymous sources, reported that Clearlake and Boehly each explored buying the other one out as the relationship between them decayed.
—Justin Birnbaum, Sportico.com, 6 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decayed
Adjective
-
After delivery, the umbilical arteries constrict and degenerate.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2026
-
As her life begins overlapping with the events of the film, she’s confronted with her own degenerate desires, as the Nazis would call them.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
26 May 2026
Adjective
-
Hydrogen sulfide smells like rotten eggs and ammonia gives off notes of urine, sweat or dead fish.—
Bill Kearney,
Sun Sentinel,
12 June 2026
-
Then there was the rotten-egg smell.—
Matthew Sedacca,
Curbed,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
Prosecutor Cheryl Galvin disagreed, saying that while the body had decomposed, the medical examiner was still able to conclude Chiodo died by homicide due to blunt force and sharp force injuries.—
Evy Lewis,
Chicago Tribune,
10 June 2026
-
Compost is decomposed organic matter, created when microorganisms break down plant materials, food scraps, leaves, manure, and other organic inputs.—
Rae Ford,
Martha Stewart,
8 June 2026
Verb
-
The bureau said in May that her condition had deteriorated and medical devices and medications were supporting her lung and kidney functions, AFP reported.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
12 June 2026
-
Prices have steadily climbed as the cattle herd shrank to its lowest levels in 75 years, while the prospects for rebuilding supplies have deteriorated in recent weeks.—
Bloomberg,
Oc Register,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
Back on the field in Casablanca, the politics, war and debate faded away, leaving only a group of teenagers chasing a ball.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 June 2026
-
That faded almost immediately, though the headache lingered half the day.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 June 2026
Adjective
-
But his father contracted pneumonia in 2011, and after two decades in prison, his body was too weak to fight it.—
Yumi Asada,
CNN Money,
13 June 2026
-
That gap is where signal blindness, misalignment, bottlenecks, execution delays and weak learning loops quietly convert external change into our fragilities.—
Christopher Washington,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026
Adjective
-
In a lawsuit filed against ICE last year, another former detainee said he was served spoiled milk.—
Seth Klamann,
Denver Post,
9 June 2026
-
In her third season in the WNBA, the once-shining superstar is acting like a spoiled brat.—
Assistant Sports Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2026
Verb
-
Now the pages are yellowed; the rubber band rotted away years ago.—
Peter Hessler,
New Yorker,
31 May 2026
-
Pots simmered on the stove with paella, fruit rotted in bowls next to the junk mail, and the pantry was full of old rusted cans of strange unearthly edibles—bamboo shoots and snails in sauce and lemons floating in brine.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Decayed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decayed. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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