DECOMPOSE Synonyms: 52 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'decompose' different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of decompose are decay , putrefy , rot , and spoil . While all these words mean "to undergo destructive dissolution," decompose stresses a breaking down by chemical change and when applied to organic matter a corruption. // the strong odor of decomposing vegetation

Q: Where would 'decay' be a reasonable alternative to 'decompose'?

The words decay and decompose are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, decay implies a slow change from a state of soundness or perfection. // a decaying mansion

Q: In what contexts can 'putrefy' take the place of 'decompose'?

In some situations, the words putrefy and decompose are roughly equivalent. However, putrefy implies the rotting of animal matter and offensiveness to sight and smell. // corpses putrefying on the battlefield

Q: How do 'rot' and 'decompose' relate to one another?

Rot is a close synonym of decompose and often connotes foulness. // fruit was left to rot in warehouses

Q: When is 'spoil' a more appropriate choice than 'decompose'?

The synonyms spoil and decompose are sometimes interchangeable, but spoil applies chiefly to the decomposition of foods. // keep the ham from spoiling

decompose

verb

ˌdē-kəm-ˈpōz

Definition of decompose next

as in to disintegrate

to go through decomposition detectives needed to know how long it would take a corpse to decompose to that advanced state

Synonyms & Similar Words

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How is the word decompose different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of decompose are decay, putrefy, rot, and spoil. While all these words mean "to undergo destructive dissolution," decompose stresses a breaking down by chemical change and when applied to organic matter a corruption.

the strong odor of decomposing vegetation

Where would decay be a reasonable alternative to decompose?

The words decay and decompose are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, decay implies a slow change from a state of soundness or perfection.

a decaying mansion

In what contexts can putrefy take the place of decompose?

In some situations, the words putrefy and decompose are roughly equivalent. However, putrefy implies the rotting of animal matter and offensiveness to sight and smell.

corpses putrefying on the battlefield

How do rot and decompose relate to one another?

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

fruit was left to rot in warehouses

When is spoil a more appropriate choice than decompose?

The synonyms spoil and decompose are sometimes interchangeable, but spoil applies chiefly to the decomposition of foods.

keep the ham from spoiling

Examples 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 decompose After digging, detectives found adipocere, a grayish wax or oil that a body emits when decomposing. —

Yasmeen Saadi, The Indianapolis Star, 26 Dec. 2024 The same reasoning applies to why glass shatters, ice melts, liquids mix and leaves decompose. —

Zack Savitsky, Quanta Magazine, 13 Dec. 2024 This chain-of-thought reasoning works more like we humans do, by decomposing a problem into bite-sized chunks and tackling (computing) those chunks in sequence. —

Karl Freund, Forbes, 10 Dec. 2024 Once discarded, 66 percent of these textiles are sent to landfills to decompose (some quickly, others over hundreds of years). —

Andre Claudio, WWD, 18 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for decompose

Recent Examples of Synonyms for decompose

Verb

The partnership between Synapse and Evolve Bank & Trust disintegrated over a $13 million deficit in Synapse’s For Benefit Of (FBO) accounts.

Zareef Hamid, Forbes, 14 Jan. 2025
The phase transition If that wasn’t unpleasant enough for you, consider this: Perhaps the Universe will take some weird physics to the extreme and disintegrate in a flash of energy.

Paul Sutter, Ars Technica, 14 Jan. 2025