decomposition

noun

Definition of decompositionnext
as in decay
the process by which dead organic matter separates into simpler substances the unmistakable smell of decomposition led us to some fruit that had fallen behind the refrigerator

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Examples Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for decomposition
  1. decay
  2. fermentation
  3. putrefaction
Noun
  • Adding low levels of fluoride to drinking water is widely considered one of the greatest public health achievements of the 20th century for its role in preventing tooth decay.
    Annika Kim Constantino, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2024
  • More than half of Californians and nearly 75% of U.S. residents live in communities where fluoride has been added to drinking water to prevent tooth decay, an intervention hailed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control as one of the 20th century’s greatest public health achievements.
    Corinne Purtill, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2024
Definition of decay
Noun
  • After fermentation and racking, the winemaking team at Ink Grade chose to leave their Sauvignon Blanc on the lees in a combination of stainless steel, large oak casks, and concrete to accentuate the saline quality of this wine.
    Mike DeSimone and Jeff Jenssen, Robb Report, 4 Nov. 2024
  • Kojic acid is a compound made by fermentation in fungi, Aspergillus, and Penicillium.
    Merve Ceylan, Health, 4 Nov. 2024
Definition of fermentation
Noun
  • Kellogg’s thinking on constipation, that anything less than three bowel movements a day risked dangerous intestinal putrefaction, was shaped by the emerging germ theory of disease and the ascent of bacteriology as a discipline through the closing decades of the 19th century.
    Elsa Richardson, TIME, 3 Oct. 2024
  • Not the smell of putrefaction, though the novel is littered with rotting corpses.
    Nathaniel Rich, The New York Review of Books, 30 Nov. 2023
Definition of putrefaction
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.

Thesaurus Entries Near decomposition

decomposing

decomposition

decompress

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Decomposition.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decomposition. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

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More from Merriam-Webster on decomposition

Nglish: Translation of decomposition for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of decomposition for Arabic Speakers

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