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
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
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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
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Oslo University Hospital on June 5 said Mette-Marit had been placed on a waiting list for a lung transplant after a significant deterioration in her health that likely gave her only a year left to live without the surgery.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
17 June 2026
-
That moment revealed profound psychiatric deterioration and human suffering.—
Justyna Rzewinski,
New York Daily News,
16 June 2026
Adjective
-
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
-
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
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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
-
Most El Niño events typically begin forming between March and June, strengthen through summer into fall, and peak between November and January before fading in late winter into spring.—
Brandi D. Addison,
USA Today,
15 June 2026
-
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
Noun
-
The cynicism and paranoia of the '70s are ever-present, exploring America's moral decay amid troubled times.—
Eric Farwell,
Entertainment Weekly,
12 June 2026
-
Pratt had relentlessly focused on homelessness, crime and decay that's marred a city otherwise known for its culinary scene, postcard scenery and a global entertainment industry.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
9 June 2026
Adjective
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For years, many of Myanmar’s Rohingya Muslim minority have embarked on rickety wooden boats to try to reach neighbouring countries, including Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand, in a bid to flee persecution in Myanmar or overcrowded refugee camps in Bangladesh.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
15 Apr. 2026
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Your sunnies should be comfortable and durable, not rickety!—
Katie Decker-Jacoby,
StyleCaster,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Decaying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decaying. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.
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