as in deterioration
a gradual sinking and wasting away of mind or body
the decaying of the bone mass that is so regrettably common in elderly women
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in ramshackle
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
2
as in dying
Related Words
1
as in decomposing
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 deteriorating
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 fading
to lose bodily strength or vigor
having reached her 80s, the woman could sense that her body was decaying
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of decaying
Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 8 Oct. 2025
Phil Plait, Scientific American, 10 Apr. 2026
Remove decaying leaves from containers and empty out the saucers after watering.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 10 Apr. 2026
Bowood made its name as a wholesale perennial grower for nearly two decades before reviving a decaying warehouse and auto shop in the city.
—Teresa Woodard, Midwest Living, 10 Apr. 2026
Dilapidated buildings and decaying signage may put off the casual observer.
—Andrea Flores, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2026
The house is falling apart, bats in the fireplace, ants marching unfazed across the floor, smells of dead creatures decaying in the walls.
—John Warner, Chicago Tribune, 4 Apr. 2026
The mill was abandoned in the 1970s, the rail line in the ’80s, and both sat decaying until just before the pandemic.
—Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 3 Apr. 2026
In addition to the decaying physical structure, Richards highlighted a decrease in correction officer staffing levels such that people inside do not feel safe.
—Steve Zeidman, New York Daily News, 2 Apr. 2026
Walked with us through rundown streets and into decaying alleyways.
—Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 1 Apr. 2026
Noun
For the study, Ruotsalainen measured the Q values of two double-beta decaying and one beta-decaying nucleus.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 8 Oct. 2025
Verb
All of this will be powered by a Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (MMRTG) that converts the heat of decaying plutonium into electricity; this is commonly used on deep-space missions.
—Phil Plait, Scientific American, 10 Apr. 2026
Remove decaying leaves from containers and empty out the saucers after watering.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 10 Apr. 2026
Bowood made its name as a wholesale perennial grower for nearly two decades before reviving a decaying warehouse and auto shop in the city.
—Teresa Woodard, Midwest Living, 10 Apr. 2026
Dilapidated buildings and decaying signage may put off the casual observer.
—Andrea Flores, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2026
The house is falling apart, bats in the fireplace, ants marching unfazed across the floor, smells of dead creatures decaying in the walls.
—John Warner, Chicago Tribune, 4 Apr. 2026
The mill was abandoned in the 1970s, the rail line in the ’80s, and both sat decaying until just before the pandemic.
—Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 3 Apr. 2026
In addition to the decaying physical structure, Richards highlighted a decrease in correction officer staffing levels such that people inside do not feel safe.
—Steve Zeidman, New York Daily News, 2 Apr. 2026
Walked with us through rundown streets and into decaying alleyways.
—Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 1 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decaying
Noun
-
Prosecutors said the owners were given multiple warnings about the roof's deterioration and were even urged to cancel the concert that was going on at the time of the collapse.—
Jennifer Bisram,
CBS News,
8 Apr. 2026
-
In addition, physical deterioration has become a concern over time.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
At last official count last year, the population in this hodgepodge of industrial plants, cow fields and ramshackle trailers was 16.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
5 Apr. 2026
-
The home here is a ramshackle London town house where a famed painter, Julian Sklar (Ian McKellen), is spending his final years in a haze of creative stagnation and lingering renown.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Garden centers aren't giving a refund for a dying or dead plant but rather a discount on a new purchase.—
Lauren David,
Southern Living,
17 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
After entering the home, officers found the decomposing body of an 81-year-old woman.—
Todd Feurer,
CBS News,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Over time, the soil improved by decomposing lawn clippings is more absorbent and well-drained.—
Megan Hughes,
Better Homes & Gardens,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Israel withdrew its diplomats amid security concerns and deteriorating relations with Turkey, following the war in Gaza.—
Suzan Fraser,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Israel withdrew its diplomats amid security concerns and deteriorating relations with Turkey during the war in Gaza.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Dylan’s Patreon is neither a brilliant multimedia project or a sign that his skills are fading.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
6 Apr. 2026
-
But with game preservation increasingly becoming an important aspect in the industry, Defender seems to be a fading memory for older players, as well as an unknown game for younger ones.—
Daryl Baxter,
Space.com,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Samples returned during the Apollo missions have linked this to higher concentrations of heat-producing radioactive elements such as thorium, whose decay likely fueled ancient volcanic eruptions, while much of the rest of the moon remained comparatively cooler.—
Sharmila Kuthunur,
Space.com,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Film negatives deteriorate through humidity, chemical decay and physical damage, and without timely intervention, important works risk being lost entirely.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Your sunnies should be comfortable and durable, not rickety!—
Katie Decker-Jacoby,
StyleCaster,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Still, those sorts of phony statements have deeply diminished faith in our elections and our increasingly rickety democracy.—
Mark Z. Barabak,
Mercury News,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Decaying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decaying. Accessed 11 Apr. 2026.
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