as in decomposed
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as in rotting
to go through decomposition
detectives needed to know how long it would take a corpse to decompose to that advanced state
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Recent Examples of decomposing
Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 15 Jan. 2026
In town, the painter also notes the reek of decomposing bodies, of garbage, of blood streaming out of the butcher shop.
—Amir Ahmadi Arian, The Dial, 15 Jan. 2026
Some of those included mummified hands and feet and decomposing torsos.
—David Matthews, Mercury News, 15 Jan. 2026
Investigators later searched the Ephrata home and storage unit of Jonathan Christ Gerlach, 34, and reported finding more than 100 human skulls, long bones, mummified hands and feet, two decomposing torsos and other skeletal items.
—Mark Scolforo, Fortune, 9 Jan. 2026
For nearly two weeks before embarking on the cross-country road trip, the teenager lived with his parents’ decomposing bodies.
—David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 8 Jan. 2026
The earthy scent of decomposing leaves and soil contributes to the smell.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 4 Jan. 2026
Surprisingly, Melanie found that the maggots feeding on decomposing meat have the highest nitrogen-15, almost four times higher than a lion.
—Jay Kakade
december 31, New Atlas, 31 Dec. 2025
The decomposing bugs enriched the soil.
—Chris McKeown, Cincinnati Enquirer, 27 Dec. 2025
Verb
In desert regions, natural mummification is common due to the dry conditions where fungi and bacteria can’t thrive on a decomposing corpse.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 15 Jan. 2026
In town, the painter also notes the reek of decomposing bodies, of garbage, of blood streaming out of the butcher shop.
—Amir Ahmadi Arian, The Dial, 15 Jan. 2026
Some of those included mummified hands and feet and decomposing torsos.
—David Matthews, Mercury News, 15 Jan. 2026
Investigators later searched the Ephrata home and storage unit of Jonathan Christ Gerlach, 34, and reported finding more than 100 human skulls, long bones, mummified hands and feet, two decomposing torsos and other skeletal items.
—Mark Scolforo, Fortune, 9 Jan. 2026
For nearly two weeks before embarking on the cross-country road trip, the teenager lived with his parents’ decomposing bodies.
—David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 8 Jan. 2026
The earthy scent of decomposing leaves and soil contributes to the smell.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 4 Jan. 2026
Surprisingly, Melanie found that the maggots feeding on decomposing meat have the highest nitrogen-15, almost four times higher than a lion.
—Jay Kakade
december 31, New Atlas, 31 Dec. 2025
The decomposing bugs enriched the soil.
—Chris McKeown, Cincinnati Enquirer, 27 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decomposing
Adjective
-
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
Verb
-
Even collapse felt easier in motion than rotting in that cabin.—
Nick Dothée,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Stout was a legendary gardener whose only garden input other than water was rotting hay.—
Joshua Siskin,
Oc Register,
24 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The only viable explanation is that an even higher-energy particle — a more stable one — must have struck the upper atmosphere of the Earth and produced a particle shower, where those decaying particles led to the presence of these muons.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
30 Jan. 2026
-
In its native environment, the black locust can be a boon, providing edible, fragrant flowers and slow-decaying wood for fence posts or decking.—
Jennifer Lobb,
Martha Stewart,
30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Some are sandy; others are rich in organic matter formed from centuries of decayed plants.—
Dinesh Phuyal,
The Conversation,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Of the 20 dead cats, eight were too decayed for a necropsy exam, which determines the cause of death of a dead animal and any associated diseases or injuries.—
Marina Johnson,
Louisville Courier Journal,
7 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
As in a seventeenth-century poem by John Donne, George Herbert, or Andrew Marvell, the fraught human body is a microcosm, a mirror to the larger disintegrating world spirit.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Jan. 2026
-
When Syrian dictator Bashar Assad’s army was disintegrating in the face of a rapid advance by Syrian opposition forces under the command of Ahmad al-Sharaa, all the Russians were willing to do was launch a few symbolic airstrikes and help organize Assad’s getaway to a life in exile.—
Daniel DePetris,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Many grapes become too rotted and are left to wither away.—
John Mariani,
Forbes.com,
23 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Fruit flies will still find rotten food thrown in the trash and drink cans that still contain liquid, so keep a lid on the bins for extra protection.—
Emma Ashe,
Southern Living,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Thick ice is rotten after rain.—
Katie Wiseman,
IndyStar,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Why Gasket Maintenance Is Essential A dirty gasket leads to deterioration of the seal, which can cause temperature fluctuations, spoiled food, and bacterial growth.—
Louise Parks,
Martha Stewart,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Check the expiration dates, especially for ingredients like spices and leavening agents that might not look spoiled but can lose their potency, and toss any expired or unwanted items.—
Heather Riske,
Better Homes & Gardens,
29 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Decomposing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decomposing. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
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