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
Bacteria and fungi help decompose organic matter. the smell of decomposing leaves The compound will decompose in the presence of light.
Recent Examples on the WebMicrobes enable bodies to decompose into one cubic yard of nutrient-rich soil within about a month. Anabel Sosa, Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2022 Plastics, the vast majority of which are made from fossil fuels, can take hundreds of years to decompose.Washington Post, 4 May 2022 Plastics take hundreds of years to decompose and first break down into tiny particles. Christopher M. Matthews, WSJ, 29 Apr. 2022 Wildlife may also contribute to the spread of valley fever by carrying it back to new regions, which then absorb the fungus into the soil when the animals die and decompose.Los Angeles Times, 4 Apr. 2022 Cut into strips, the bag can be composted curbside and will decompose in under a year. Jiakai Chang, Outside Online, 16 Feb. 2022 Bogan said that during their larvae stage, crane flies decompose organic matter. Shanti Lerner, The Arizona Republic, 22 July 2022 In order for the Haikouichthys to leave fossils, their dead bodies would have had to sink to the bottom of the water and be covered with sediments before microorganisms could decompose them. Isaac Skromne, The Conversation, 18 July 2022 If a unit is dislodged and lost at sea, the system would decompose rather than contribute to pollution. Collin Robisheaux, BostonGlobe.com, 14 July 2022 See More
Word History
Etymology
French décomposer, from dé- de + composer to compose