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
Related Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of decaying
Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 8 Oct. 2025
Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 23 Apr. 2026
By removing the decaying cells created by the high-salt diet, the drug allowed the remaining healthy tissue to maintain its elasticity and respond correctly to blood flow demands.
—Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 22 Apr. 2026
The wood building, including a section that dates to 1666, has been vacant and decaying for at least 15 years.
—Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 20 Apr. 2026
Nobody needs Beijing to fabricate footage of American potholes, ER bills, or decaying Amtrak cars.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 19 Apr. 2026
The spacecraft runs on a radioisotope thermoelectric generator — a device that converts heat from decaying plutonium into electricity.
—Willem Marx, NPR, 19 Apr. 2026
Remove decaying wood that attracts wood-destroying pests.
—Janay Reece, CBS News, 18 Apr. 2026
According to the Times coverage of the incident and subsequent lawsuit, the scenes shown in the classroom included autopsies, decaying cadavers and live animals being butchered, mutilated and tortured.
—Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 14 Apr. 2026
The wings serve as a protein source, which matters when your entire diet is decaying wood — a tough, low-nutrient food.
—Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 13 Apr. 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
There was nothing quaint about the making of Apocalypse Now, for which Tavoularis created a nightmarish jungle kingdom with a decaying temple — inspired by the ancient Angkor Wat in Cambodia — as its centerpiece.
—Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 23 Apr. 2026
By removing the decaying cells created by the high-salt diet, the drug allowed the remaining healthy tissue to maintain its elasticity and respond correctly to blood flow demands.
—Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 22 Apr. 2026
The wood building, including a section that dates to 1666, has been vacant and decaying for at least 15 years.
—Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 20 Apr. 2026
Nobody needs Beijing to fabricate footage of American potholes, ER bills, or decaying Amtrak cars.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 19 Apr. 2026
The spacecraft runs on a radioisotope thermoelectric generator — a device that converts heat from decaying plutonium into electricity.
—Willem Marx, NPR, 19 Apr. 2026
Remove decaying wood that attracts wood-destroying pests.
—Janay Reece, CBS News, 18 Apr. 2026
According to the Times coverage of the incident and subsequent lawsuit, the scenes shown in the classroom included autopsies, decaying cadavers and live animals being butchered, mutilated and tortured.
—Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 14 Apr. 2026
The wings serve as a protein source, which matters when your entire diet is decaying wood — a tough, low-nutrient food.
—Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 13 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decaying
Noun
-
Over the last decade, the parish began to lose these buildings to age, mold and deterioration.—
Desiree Mathurin
April 28,
Charlotte Observer,
28 Apr. 2026
-
The Swiss Eugen Bleuler, a follower of Kraepelin, replaced the term dementia praecox, which implied hopeless deterioration, with the softer term schizophrenia.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
If the several buildings the report says Taxpayer 1 was delinquent on taxes included, say, a bar or ramshackle eyesores, that will look like something other than Stewart extending kindness to a stranger.—
Kevin Rennie,
Hartford Courant,
25 Apr. 2026
-
At last official count last year, the population in this hodgepodge of industrial plants, cow fields and ramshackle trailers was 16.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
5 Apr. 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
-
Carie Hallford was sentenced to 30 years for her role in a scheme that involved hiding nearly 200 decomposing bodies.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
25 Apr. 2026
-
The autopsy was performed in September 2025, days after the body was found decomposing in the Tesla's trunk at a Hollywood tow yard, but the results were ordered sealed by a judge as the Los Angeles Police Department and the county's District Attorney's Office built their case.—
Dean Fioresi,
CBS News,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The poll also points to broader economic malaise; 55% of Americans say recent price increases have led to financial hardship, and the same number say their financial situation is deteriorating.—
Morgan Chalfant,
semafor.com,
28 Apr. 2026
-
In all cases, companies are reporting a surge in oil trading activity, tempered somewhat by the deteriorating outlook for natural gas production, stemming from Iranian air strikes severely damaging crucial gas production sites in the Gulf.—
Tristan Bove,
Fortune,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Meanwhile, commercial-only business districts are fading.—
Caitlin McGlade,
Charlotte Observer,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Dust and pollen are quicker to reveal themselves, and wear becomes apparent faster as dark colors are more prone to fading.—
Marisa Suzanne Martin,
The Spruce,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
In detectors filled with liquid argon, the decay of this isotope creates signals that can look deceptively similar to the ones scientists are searching for.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Some formulas can remove surface stains caused by coffee, smoking or wine, while others address tougher stains caused by decay, age or genetics.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
For years, many of Myanmar’s Rohingya Muslim minority have embarked on rickety wooden boats to try to reach neighbouring countries, including Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand, in a bid to flee persecution in Myanmar or overcrowded refugee camps in Bangladesh.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
15 Apr. 2026
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Your sunnies should be comfortable and durable, not rickety!—
Katie Decker-Jacoby,
StyleCaster,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Decaying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decaying. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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