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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in ramshackle
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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
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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
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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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of decaying
Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 8 Oct. 2025
Scott Travis, Miami Herald, 15 May 2026
Tori Mason, CBS News, 12 June 2026
This includes decaying plant and animal residues, humus, and living microorganisms.
—Rae Ford, Martha Stewart, 8 June 2026
Hyde has McCallany playing Detective Grimes, a haunted investigator descending into the decaying underbelly of a crumbling metropolis while hunting a brutal serial killer.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 1 June 2026
Like nature’s cleanup crew, ants keep outdoor spaces tidy by feeding on old, decaying plant matter, dead bugs, and other garden debris.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 June 2026
The only thing that could apparently harm them was proximity to decaying tissues of other species.
—Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 29 May 2026
Since then, sediment and decaying organic matter have built up at the bottom of the lake, dropping the average water depth to less than 2½ feet, according to a city staff report about the project.
—R. Christian Smith, Chicago Tribune, 27 May 2026
We’re surrounded by decaying media of the past.
—Wyatt Williams, Harpers Magazine, 26 May 2026
The woman, her husband, Peter Temple, and the couple's 12 children, ages five to 17, were able to spend time at home with Pandora before her funeral thanks to a cooling bassinet, a medical device that preserves a baby's body and slows the decaying process through cold temperatures.
—Nicholas Rice, PEOPLE, 23 May 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
Adjective
The district also could be in for other major changes in the coming years, including the opening of a few new schools to replace multiple decaying, underenrolled schools.
—Scott Travis, Miami Herald, 15 May 2026
Verb
Unlike typical maggots, which consume dead or decaying tissue, screwworm larvae burrow into wounds and feed on healthy tissue, causing severe damage.
—Tori Mason, CBS News, 12 June 2026
This includes decaying plant and animal residues, humus, and living microorganisms.
—Rae Ford, Martha Stewart, 8 June 2026
Hyde has McCallany playing Detective Grimes, a haunted investigator descending into the decaying underbelly of a crumbling metropolis while hunting a brutal serial killer.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 1 June 2026
Like nature’s cleanup crew, ants keep outdoor spaces tidy by feeding on old, decaying plant matter, dead bugs, and other garden debris.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 June 2026
The only thing that could apparently harm them was proximity to decaying tissues of other species.
—Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 29 May 2026
Since then, sediment and decaying organic matter have built up at the bottom of the lake, dropping the average water depth to less than 2½ feet, according to a city staff report about the project.
—R. Christian Smith, Chicago Tribune, 27 May 2026
We’re surrounded by decaying media of the past.
—Wyatt Williams, Harpers Magazine, 26 May 2026
The woman, her husband, Peter Temple, and the couple's 12 children, ages five to 17, were able to spend time at home with Pandora before her funeral thanks to a cooling bassinet, a medical device that preserves a baby's body and slows the decaying process through cold temperatures.
—Nicholas Rice, PEOPLE, 23 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decaying
Noun
-
It was closed in 1994 due to deterioration, and Kansas City residents passed a limited-run sales tax to support the building's restoration in 1998.—
USA TODAY Network,
USA Today,
10 June 2026
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Jim argued the recent weakness has more to do with market dynamics than any deterioration in Nvidia's business.—
Alexa LoMonaco,
CNBC,
10 June 2026
Adjective
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After Goldberg’s death, a friend, Henry Gifford, reluctantly stepped in to the role of executor and found the place in ramshackle condition.—
Jesse Armas,
Curbed,
16 June 2026
-
This is a charmingly earnest and ramshackle movie that touches emotional areas that many rom-coms don't.—
K. Thor Jensen,
PC Magazine,
12 June 2026
Adjective
-
Schmitt came to prominence in the failing German Weimar Republic of the 1920s and then to notoriety after supporting and assisting the rising Nazi dictatorship.—
BENN STEIL,
Foreign Affairs,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Officials warned that decomposing fish could create potential health hazards for visitors entering the area or attempting to fish.—
Moná Thomas,
PEOPLE,
10 June 2026
-
That’s different from most other types of maggots, which feed on decomposing flesh.—
Janet Loehrke,
USA Today,
9 June 2026
Verb
-
Many of these coupists capitalized on public discontent over deteriorating economies and security conditions to overthrow their predecessors.—
Kaitlyn Rabe,
The Conversation,
16 June 2026
-
Project Jupiter has pledged $360 million for schools and local infrastructure, $50 million for an upgrade to the county’s deteriorating water utility, and $12 million annually to the county budget.—
Catherina Gioino,
Fortune,
15 June 2026
Verb
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Market expectations have shifted throughout the war, with broad rate cut expectations fading and being replaced by higher-for-longer interest-rate environments across economies.—
Terri Cullen,Chloe Taylor,Garrett Downs,Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
14 June 2026
-
One hundred years ago, when enthusiasm for the country’s 150th anniversary was fading, a prizefight was held to help revive the celebration.—
Theodore R. Johnson,
Washington Post,
10 June 2026
Noun
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The authors attribute this to a high-pressure region that forms on the side facing the flight direction, which produces a larger decay in the birdie's velocity in the horizontal direction.—
Jennifer Ouellette,
ArsTechnica,
19 Aug. 2025
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Beyond 24 to 36 hours, a broadening of the wind field and some increase in shear should cause gradual decay in the peak winds.—
Marshall Shepherd,
Forbes.com,
17 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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The nature trail, declared a safety hazard, is rickety and missing some of its wooden planks.—
Susannah Bryan,
Sun Sentinel,
31 May 2026
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This time around, there was uncertainty over whether their rickety old stadium would be able to stage European games, due to a row between Rayo president Raul Martin Presa and local authorities over who pays for maintenance and improvements at the municipal ground.—
Dermot Corrigan,
New York Times,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Decaying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decaying. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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