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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of decompose
Heidi Moawad, Verywell Health, 11 Feb. 2025
The bag had maggots inside and inside the suitcase police found the decomposing body of Johnson’s 7-year-old niece, Joshlyn Marie James Johnson, according to the news outlet.
—Jennifer Rodriguez, Miami Herald, 11 Feb. 2025
Read Next Florida Surgeon removed wrong organ, killing man — and a cover-up followed, Florida suit says
January 31, 2025 5:13 PM
Read Next
National
Hospital left mom’s body to decompose in unrefrigerated room, suit says.
—Mike Stunson, Kansas City Star, 4 Feb. 2025
The only component that does not decompose is a small part of the zipper, Oscher explained.
—Alex Wynne, WWD, 27 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for decompose
Verb
In regeneration, superficial cells naturally decompose and are replaced by new cells to maintain the health and structure of your tongue.2
Actions like eating, drinking, talking, and even breathing can cause some degree of trauma to the cells and tissue of your tongue.
—Heidi Moawad, Verywell Health, 11 Feb. 2025
The bag had maggots inside and inside the suitcase police found the decomposing body of Johnson’s 7-year-old niece, Joshlyn Marie James Johnson, according to the news outlet.
—Jennifer Rodriguez, Miami Herald, 11 Feb. 2025
Read Next Florida Surgeon removed wrong organ, killing man — and a cover-up followed, Florida suit says
January 31, 2025 5:13 PM
Read Next
National
Hospital left mom’s body to decompose in unrefrigerated room, suit says.
—Mike Stunson, Kansas City Star, 4 Feb. 2025
The only component that does not decompose is a small part of the zipper, Oscher explained.
—Alex Wynne, WWD, 27 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for decompose
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decompose
Verb
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Trust in information, identities and institutions is disintegrating, raising questions about their relevance in the future.—
Dan Yerushalmi,
Forbes,
18 Feb. 2025
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Archaeologists also found stone casings and nails, which suggests the children were once buried in wooden coffins that have disintegrated over time.—
Sarah Kuta,
Smithsonian Magazine,
13 Feb. 2025
Noun
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The trooper announced her presence and entered the home and noted there was a strong odor of decay coming from both doorways, according to the warrant affidavit.—
Staff report,
Hartford Courant,
19 Feb. 2025
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Mutations in another group of genes cause weaker tooth enamel, raising the risk of decay.—
Mark Gurarie,
Health,
16 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Do not paint the wound with a pruning sealant; that can trap moisture in the wound and lead to rot.—
Beth Botts,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Feb. 2025
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Damaged sections can lead to rot and loss of the cuttings.—
Derek Carwood,
Better Homes & Gardens,
18 Feb. 2025
Noun
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In a process known as fermentation, these bacteria feast on the oligosaccharides, resulting in byproducts like hydrogen, carbon dioxide, methane, and, occasionally, sulfur—in other words, gas.—
Caroline Tien,
SELF,
7 Feb. 2025
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Favorable policies and product innovations in the US and Canada are expected to drive the growth and adoption of precision fermentation.—
Sarwant Singh,
Forbes,
22 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Here was an artist drawn irresistibly to executions and corpses, dismemberment and putrefaction.—
airmail.news,
airmail.news,
20 Apr. 2024
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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
Cite this Entry
“Decompose.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decompose. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
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