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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in ramshackle
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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
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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
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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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of decaying
Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 8 Oct. 2025
Leslie Baumann, Miami Herald, 13 Feb. 2026
When Qualls saw the building again on a cool day last month, the renovation was a night-and-day transformation from the decaying structure that had sat vacant for several decades, its roof near collapsing.
—Dallas Morning News, 11 Feb. 2026
These rely on the heat released by decaying plutonium to generate electricity.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 9 Feb. 2026
That decaying wood can enrich the soil of a brand-new flower bed.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 31 Jan. 2026
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, 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
There might exist, for instance, an unstable type of dark matter particle that leaves its mark by occasionally arising and immediately decaying into an excessive number of muon-antimuon pairs.
—Quanta Magazine, 26 Jan. 2026
Compared to his Mancunian peers, whose output conjured images of decaying industrial plants and mutant discos, this new Durutti Column suggested the domestic.
—Brad Shoup, Pitchfork, 24 Jan. 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
Verb
Sporotrichosis is a fungal infection of the skin caused by exposure to a fungus that lives in soil, plants, decaying vegetation, moss and hay.
—Leslie Baumann, Miami Herald, 13 Feb. 2026
When Qualls saw the building again on a cool day last month, the renovation was a night-and-day transformation from the decaying structure that had sat vacant for several decades, its roof near collapsing.
—Dallas Morning News, 11 Feb. 2026
These rely on the heat released by decaying plutonium to generate electricity.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 9 Feb. 2026
That decaying wood can enrich the soil of a brand-new flower bed.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 31 Jan. 2026
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, 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
There might exist, for instance, an unstable type of dark matter particle that leaves its mark by occasionally arising and immediately decaying into an excessive number of muon-antimuon pairs.
—Quanta Magazine, 26 Jan. 2026
Compared to his Mancunian peers, whose output conjured images of decaying industrial plants and mutant discos, this new Durutti Column suggested the domestic.
—Brad Shoup, Pitchfork, 24 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decaying
Noun
-
The report identifies three massive, offsetting policy developments as the primary drivers of this fiscal deterioration.—
Tristan Bove,
Fortune,
11 Feb. 2026
-
The complaint includes several photographs of deterioration and hazards.—
George Avalos,
Mercury News,
10 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Mike Buckley designed the scenery, which includes the ramshackle cabin and children’s swing in Bountiful.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 Jan. 2026
-
So now, the ramshackle Coinjock School sits in the restaurant’s backyard and his plan for restoration keeps getting more ambitious with each passing year.—
Mark Price,
Charlotte Observer,
12 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
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
-
Funk assures that the softened, decomposing cardboard will allow plants to grow through.—
Patricia Shannon,
Southern Living,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Jon Hallford, a southern Colorado funeral home owner who stashed nearly 200 decomposing bodies and gave families fake ashes, was sentenced on state charges on Friday.—
Maria Braganini,
CBS News,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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In addition to default notices, a group of commercial property owners at Blackhawk Plaza have filed a lawsuit in Contra Costa County Superior Court that paints a picture of deteriorating conditions at the once-vibrant shopping center.—
George Avalos,
Mercury News,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Harris said the mad dash to achieve human-level AI could create harmful incentives for unchecked growth, ultimately deteriorating safety, security, and economic well-being.—
Jake Angelo,
Fortune,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
In the crushing depths of the ocean or the vacuum of deep space, one of the key threats to technology is the fading battery.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Amid the recent furore, that trust and respect seem to be all but fading.—
Billy Stockwell,
CNN Money,
7 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Leaking water can cause structural decay, mold growth, destroyed flooring, and more.—
Molly Burford,
Southern Living,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Lambdas are ideal for spin research because the direction of a lambda’s spin can be inferred from the direction in which a proton or antiproton is emitted during its decay.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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They will now be soldered together to form a financially rickety public hospital system.—
Kevin Rennie,
Hartford Courant,
7 Feb. 2026
-
The result was a gleaming skyscraper held up by some rickety wooden boards, duct tape, and magic.—
Ian Stokes,
Space.com,
14 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Decaying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decaying. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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