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decay

1 of 2

verb

de·​cay di-ˈkā How to pronounce decay (audio)
decayed; decaying; decays

intransitive verb

1
: to undergo decomposition
decaying fruit
Her teeth were decaying.
… most isotopes of copper decay quickly, but two are stable: Cu-63 and Cu-65. David E. Thomas
2
: to decline in health, strength, or vigor
Her mind is beginning to decay with age.
believes that the moral fiber of our society is decaying
3
: to fall into ruin
the city's decaying neighborhoods
4
: to decline from a sound or prosperous condition
a decaying empire
5
: to decrease usually gradually in size, quantity, activity, or force
The three voices … decayed and died out upon her ear. Thomas Hardy

transitive verb

1
: to destroy by decomposition
wood decayed by bacteria
2
obsolete : to cause to decay : impair
Infirmity, that decays the wise … William Shakespeare
decayer noun

decay

2 of 2

noun

1
a
: rot
The material is … resistant to fire, decay and termites … Jack McClintock
specifically : aerobic decomposition of proteins chiefly by bacteria
b
: the product of decay
tooth decay
2
: gradual decline in strength, soundness, or prosperity or in degree of excellence or perfection
the decay of the public school system
3
: a decline in health or vigor
mental decay
4
: a wasting or wearing away : ruin
a neighborhood that had fallen into decay
5
: decrease in quantity, activity, or force: such as
a
chemistry : spontaneous decrease in the number of radioactive atoms in radioactive material
b
physics : spontaneous disintegration (as of an atom or a particle)
6
obsolete : destruction, death
… sullen presage of your own decay. Shakespeare

Synonyms

Verb

Noun

Choose the Right Synonym for decay

decay, decompose, rot, putrefy, spoil mean to undergo destructive dissolution.

decay implies a slow change from a state of soundness or perfection.

a decaying mansion

decompose stresses a breaking down by chemical change and when applied to organic matter a corruption.

the strong odor of decomposing vegetation

rot is a close synonym of decompose and often connotes foulness.

fruit was left to rot in warehouses

putrefy implies the rotting of animal matter and offensiveness to sight and smell.

corpses putrefying on the battlefield

spoil applies chiefly to the decomposition of foods.

keep the ham from spoiling

Example Sentences

Verb the smell of decaying rubbish dead plants and leaves decayed by bacteria She believes that the moral fiber of our society is decaying. our decaying public school system The city's neighborhoods are decaying. Noun the decay of dead plants and leaves She writes about the moral decay of our society. the patient's physical and mental decay The city's neighborhoods are in slow decay. See More
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
With her departure, the house resigns itself to neglect and decay. Meghan Cox Gurdon, WSJ, 9 Sep. 2022 Normally nutrients taken up by plants from the soil are put back when the plants dies and decay. Jeff Lowenfels, Anchorage Daily News, 18 Aug. 2022 Well, these smaller nuclei come in the form of elements like cesium, strontium, iodide, and plutonium—all which have varying abilities to live in the environment (whether preferring air, water, or soil), and decay at different rates. Miriam Fauzia, Popular Mechanics, 17 Aug. 2022 Sun damage, rot, and wear from general use can cause wood to decay and split, posing safety risks and creating visual eyesores. Kamron Sanders, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Aug. 2022 Roads, bridges, power stations, and water treatment plants decay at the same time as storms worsen. Glen Retief, The New Republic, 11 May 2022 The original boosters were shown to increase antibody levels to a peak about two weeks after the shot, then decay steadily over the following three months. Rachel Gutman-wei, The Atlantic, 27 Aug. 2022 The first is that different organs decay at different rates, and the pH of certain organs will fall below the critical threshold of 6.4. Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 9 Aug. 2022 Its radioactive particles decay in the lungs, releasing small bursts of radiation. Maya Miller, ProPublica, 8 Aug. 2022
Noun
And there was always this constant force of decay on it because it had been forgotten over the years. Chris Gardner, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Sep. 2022 The footage, the company said, contains evidence of decay. Saleen Martin, USA TODAY, 7 Sep. 2022 Investigators saw tire marks outside the property and took a closer look, stumbling upon the scent of decay and, behind the back stoop, Fletcher's remains. Fox News, 7 Sep. 2022 Perhaps the true dragon was a slow decay of the coöperative ethos. Nick Romeo, The New Yorker, 27 Aug. 2022 Their spread exemplifies the decay of Oxford Street. Alexander Smith, NBC News, 15 Aug. 2022 Crickets help speed the decay of organic matter like dead animals, insects and leaves. Shanti Lerner, The Arizona Republic, 22 July 2022 The source of the heat is presumed to be the decay of radioactive elements and confirms the high level of radioactivity previously measured in samples of lunar soil. Mark Fischetti, Scientific American, 16 Dec. 2021 Unfortunately, recent increases in the Sun’s solar activity appear to have accelerated its orbital decay. Joshua Hawkins, BGR, 17 July 2022 See More

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French decaïr, from Late Latin decadere to fall, sink, from Latin de- + cadere to fall — more at chance

First Known Use

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 4

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of decay was in the 15th century

Phrases Containing decay

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