as in rotten
having undergone organic breakdown
the decomposed remains of an old tree trunk
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in decayed
to go through decomposition
detectives needed to know how long it would take a corpse to decompose to that advanced state
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of decomposed
Kyung Lah, CNN Money, 26 Feb. 2026
Officers unzipped the bag and found a decomposed head and torso, according to the documents.
—Minyvonne Burke, NBC news, 25 Feb. 2026
Consider filling the gaps with decomposed granite to give your flagstone garden path a more professional look.
—Tessa Cooper, The Spruce, 17 Feb. 2026
Inside the container were the badly decomposed remains of an infant.
—Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 7 Jan. 2026
Santa Barbara County Sheriff-Coroner Bill Brown said Melodee's decomposed body was found in a rural area outside of Cainville in Wayne County, discovered by a man and a woman taking photos.
—Julie Sharp, CBS News, 23 Dec. 2025
Constance catches Trisha on her way out and shows her Willem's decomposed body, which has finally been dug up and delivered home by Garret.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Dec. 2025
McCormack’s decomposed body was found in a pink suitcase near Missouri Highway 59 between Lanagan, Missouri, and Noel, Missouri, on July 29, 2019, according to the plea agreement.
—Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 22 Aug. 2025
Elizabeth Flock, New Yorker, 23 Feb. 2026
Fifty-six days later, homicide investigators arrive at Oliver’s apartment to find an unidentified body—brutally murdered and intentionally decomposed.
—Jessica Radloff, Glamour, 1 Feb. 2026
The body was decomposed, a fire official said.
—Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer, 28 Jan. 2026
Since some of the soil has likely decomposed so a fresh layer may be needed in late February or before growth begins.
—Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 Jan. 2026
But Jewish artist Nina Sanadze saw a chance to immortalize the bouquets, even as their petals faded and decomposed.
—Oscar Holland, CNN Money, 22 Jan. 2026
Rather than routing entire documents to a single model, documents will be decomposed into constituent parts such as titles, paragraphs, tables and images and be routed to the model or agent best suited to understand it.
—Melody Brue, Forbes.com, 16 Jan. 2026
Ackerman’s remains were significantly decomposed and partially mummified, according to the autopsy report.
—Shelly Bradbury, Denver Post, 8 Jan. 2026
The child's body was decomposed, per the Sheriff's Office.
—Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 26 Dec. 2025
Adjective
According to Silverman, the officers unzipped the bag and saw a decomposed head and torso.
—Kyung Lah, CNN Money, 26 Feb. 2026
Officers unzipped the bag and found a decomposed head and torso, according to the documents.
—Minyvonne Burke, NBC news, 25 Feb. 2026
Consider filling the gaps with decomposed granite to give your flagstone garden path a more professional look.
—Tessa Cooper, The Spruce, 17 Feb. 2026
Inside the container were the badly decomposed remains of an infant.
—Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 7 Jan. 2026
Santa Barbara County Sheriff-Coroner Bill Brown said Melodee's decomposed body was found in a rural area outside of Cainville in Wayne County, discovered by a man and a woman taking photos.
—Julie Sharp, CBS News, 23 Dec. 2025
Constance catches Trisha on her way out and shows her Willem's decomposed body, which has finally been dug up and delivered home by Garret.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Dec. 2025
McCormack’s decomposed body was found in a pink suitcase near Missouri Highway 59 between Lanagan, Missouri, and Noel, Missouri, on July 29, 2019, according to the plea agreement.
—Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 22 Aug. 2025
Verb
Some bodies are too far decomposed to be identified.
—Elizabeth Flock, New Yorker, 23 Feb. 2026
Fifty-six days later, homicide investigators arrive at Oliver’s apartment to find an unidentified body—brutally murdered and intentionally decomposed.
—Jessica Radloff, Glamour, 1 Feb. 2026
The body was decomposed, a fire official said.
—Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer, 28 Jan. 2026
Since some of the soil has likely decomposed so a fresh layer may be needed in late February or before growth begins.
—Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 Jan. 2026
But Jewish artist Nina Sanadze saw a chance to immortalize the bouquets, even as their petals faded and decomposed.
—Oscar Holland, CNN Money, 22 Jan. 2026
Rather than routing entire documents to a single model, documents will be decomposed into constituent parts such as titles, paragraphs, tables and images and be routed to the model or agent best suited to understand it.
—Melody Brue, Forbes.com, 16 Jan. 2026
Ackerman’s remains were significantly decomposed and partially mummified, according to the autopsy report.
—Shelly Bradbury, Denver Post, 8 Jan. 2026
The child's body was decomposed, per the Sheriff's Office.
—Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 26 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decomposed
Adjective
-
Other signs include a rotten-egg smell in the water, odd noises from the water heater, rust-colored water, and low water pressure.—
Timothy Dale,
Better Homes & Gardens,
27 Feb. 2026
-
There’s no sticky floors or rotten wood smell.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Violations can be written for peeling paint, leaking roof, electrical and plumbing problems, holes in the wall, floor and ceiling, and decayed wood.—
Dave Lieber,
Dallas Morning News,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Some had decayed for years, others several months, according to the affidavit.—
Jesse Bedayn,
Denver Post,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Smart, capable and quick-witted, Toha’s current joy comes from her relationship with Nelly (Khadija Ahmed), the spoiled granddaughter of her employer (Hanan Youssef), a tetchy, elderly diabetic.—
Alissa Simon,
Variety,
25 Feb. 2026
-
Trump may be a little spoiled, as the Republican-majority high court has supported most of his positions.—
Tom Zirpoli,
Baltimore Sun,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
There was more funding for higher education, less restrictive laws, lower voting ages, better reproductive rights for women and easier divorces, while icons of popular culture gained far greater prominence and influence as stuffy hierarchies disintegrated.—
Jason Burke,
Time,
27 Feb. 2026
-
Trump is now the symbol, but the movement started in 1992, the year the Soviet Union disintegrated, Gone was the communist menace.—
Letters to the Editor,
Hartford Courant,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
How to Plant Bare Root Roses Carefully inspect the roots and cut off any that are broken, cracked, rotted, or show signs of insect damage.—
Nadia Hassani,
The Spruce,
26 Feb. 2026
-
Dead fruit rotted on withered evergreens, remnants of a record-cold February.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Decomposed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decomposed. Accessed 4 Mar. 2026.
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