decomposition

as in decay
the process by which dead organic matter separates into simpler substances the unmistakable smell of decomposition led us to some fruit that had fallen behind the refrigerator

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for decomposition
Noun
  • It was originally added to water systems to combat tooth decay but more recently has been scrutinized by critics citing studies that elevated exposure could reduce IQ levels in children.
    Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 July 2025
  • In a world where sugar consumption continues to rise, dentists are struggling to keep up with demand; by some estimates, nearly 3.5 billion people worldwide are now struggling with oral diseases and tooth decay.
    David Prosser, Forbes.com, 9 July 2025
Noun
  • Organic farming is very important in that aspect — the way that the grapes are handled from the growing to the harvest to the fermentation.
    Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 10 July 2025
  • But at Borgo Santo Pietro, fermentation is a guiding principle for executive chef Ariel Hagen.
    Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 9 July 2025
Noun
  • Fifty-three industrial plants are invited to squat there, in the center of the city, and the smell of decomposition and putrefaction and acidification, a stew of sulfur, chlorine, lye, and ammonia, suffuses the air.
    Caroline Fraser June 10, Literary Hub, 10 June 2025
  • When the surgeons finally opened her with a piece of broken glass, the putrefaction was as warm as life.
    Nell Zink, Harper's Magazine, 28 Feb. 2025
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“Decomposition.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decomposition. Accessed 22 Jul. 2025.

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