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
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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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of decaying
Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 8 Oct. 2025
Scott Travis, Miami Herald, 15 May 2026
Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2026
The Vet, fairly new then, was inaugurated in 1971 to replace the ancient and decaying Connie Mack Stadium.
—Barry M. Bloom, Forbes.com, 18 June 2026
If all goes to plan, a commercial spacecraft would launch on a commercial rocket on a trajectory to intercept NASA's telescope and reverse its decaying orbit by boosting it to a higher altitude, extending the mission’s life.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 18 June 2026
Though the shopping center once held dozens of stores, its population of retailers steadily dwindled for years amid a string of new owners and a decaying exterior.
—Matan Josephy, Idaho Statesman, 17 June 2026
Waste Removal Mushrooms are nature’s decomposers that break down old plant material, dead insects, sticks and woody debris, decaying plant roots, and other organic matter.
—Lauren Landers, The Spruce, 16 June 2026
Fine particles include microscopic sediment, debris and organic matter, including phytoplankton, wildfire ash, decaying plant debris and clay.
—Reeti Malhotra, Sacbee.com, 15 June 2026
Its decaying corridors and operating rooms have inspired countless urban legends, ghost stories, and paranormal investigations.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 15 June 2026
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
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
On the shore of a nondescript, decaying seaside town, a boat that went missing 30 years ago suddenly reappears.
—Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2026
The Vet, fairly new then, was inaugurated in 1971 to replace the ancient and decaying Connie Mack Stadium.
—Barry M. Bloom, Forbes.com, 18 June 2026
If all goes to plan, a commercial spacecraft would launch on a commercial rocket on a trajectory to intercept NASA's telescope and reverse its decaying orbit by boosting it to a higher altitude, extending the mission’s life.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 18 June 2026
Though the shopping center once held dozens of stores, its population of retailers steadily dwindled for years amid a string of new owners and a decaying exterior.
—Matan Josephy, Idaho Statesman, 17 June 2026
Waste Removal Mushrooms are nature’s decomposers that break down old plant material, dead insects, sticks and woody debris, decaying plant roots, and other organic matter.
—Lauren Landers, The Spruce, 16 June 2026
Fine particles include microscopic sediment, debris and organic matter, including phytoplankton, wildfire ash, decaying plant debris and clay.
—Reeti Malhotra, Sacbee.com, 15 June 2026
Its decaying corridors and operating rooms have inspired countless urban legends, ghost stories, and paranormal investigations.
—Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 15 June 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decaying
Noun
-
The National Institute of Standards and Technology said long-term corrosion and the failure of multiple slab-to-column connections likely contributed to a progressive collapse after weeks of structural deterioration.—
Sergio Candido,
CBS News,
24 June 2026
-
Heston is at his most gleefully cynical as Robert Thorn, a police detective who lives and works in a New York City decimated by environmental deterioration and dwindling resources.—
Jim Hemphill,
IndieWire,
23 June 2026
Adjective
-
Police soon descended on the family's Massapequa Park home, the only ramshackle house in an otherwise upscale suburban neighborhood about 35 miles east of New York City.—
Michael Ruiz,
FOXNews.com,
19 June 2026
-
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
Adjective
-
What’s the vibe for you, post-dying?—
Sean T. Collins,
Vulture,
22 June 2026
-
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
-
Clogged Drains On the other hand, a smelly drain that gets frequent use may have a clog or decomposing matter in the pipes.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
20 June 2026
-
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
Verb
-
That enables Cadence’s system, which is supervised by physicians, to alert a clinician when a patient is deteriorating before a stroke or heart attack, for example.—
Amy Feldman,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2026
-
By the time the kids make it to the Gullet, the situation is deteriorating.—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
22 June 2026
Verb
-
Their self-cleaning nature means blooms drop naturally after fading, eliminating tedious deadheading.—
Leanne Potts,
Better Homes & Gardens,
22 June 2026
-
Halsey and her fans’ outrage over an old album review is showing no signs of fading.—
Marlow Stern,
Variety,
22 June 2026
Noun
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The decay rate will increase as the spacecraft dips into denser layers of the atmosphere until Swift finally burns up during reentry.—
Stephen Clark,
ArsTechnica,
19 June 2026
-
The Dirty Beaches founder’s own saxophone and trumpet lead the players’ cut-and-pasted recordings down dark alleys of decay and introspection, backdropped by percussive bangs and scrapes that suggest the construction of some great, mysterious superstructure.—
Hattie Lindert,
Pitchfork,
19 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 25 Jun. 2026.
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