spoilage

as in decomposition
the process by which dead organic matter separates into simpler substances in the days before refrigeration, spoilage was a constant problem

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of spoilage Current food technology can’t sustain nutrient-rich diets for that long without spoilage. Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2025 Consumers must evaluate the quality of the product prior to its consumption to determine if the product shows signs of spoilage. Matthew Robinson, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Sep. 2025 Keep it frozen to prevent spoilage and for easy use. Merve Ceylan, Health, 25 Sep. 2025 Amphorae gave way to wooden barrels, and Venetian shipbuilding ensured wines could travel further with less spoilage. Layne Randolph, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for spoilage
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spoilage
Noun
  • Before storing the bodies in the crawl space, Gacy used lime to hasten the bodies' decomposition.
    Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 20 Oct. 2025
  • An anthology of first memories, a meditation on decomposition, spinning constellations—every stanza grapples with change on a private or galactic scale.
    Helen Shaw, New Yorker, 20 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Despite years of legal battles over the relocations, more than 150,000 bodies were exhumed from the 1920s to the early 1940s for the trip to Colma, each in various stages of decay.
    Chris Kenning, USA Today, 25 Oct. 2025
  • Why didn’t evolution produce a more dependable version of the human body, less prone to malfunction and decay?
    Lucinda Rosenfeld, New Yorker, 25 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Spoilage.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spoilage. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.

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