Synonym Chooser

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

Example 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 Cardboard typically takes between two and six months to fully decompose, depending on the temperature and moisture level. Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 June 2025 Over time, as the powder solidified and the corpses decomposed, mass graves in the form of random white hills became a fixture of this landscape. Amir Ahmadi Arian, The Dial, 10 June 2025 And since no one yet knows how a body decomposes in true microgravity (or, for that matter, on the moon), no one can really say whether the HRCU would preserve tissue well enough for a forensic autopsy. Peter Cummings, Scientific American, 3 June 2025 Read Next National Son arrested two decades after dad found decomposing in NH home, officials say June 18, 2025 12:40 PM Read Next National 75-year-old found dead during welfare check, Delaware troopers say. Jennifer Rodriguez, Sacbee.com, 19 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for decompose
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decompose
Verb
  • Tropical Storm Barry disintegrated after striking Mexico early Monday morning while the National Hurricane Center continued to forecast the season’s next tropical depression or storm could form off the coast of Florida later this week.
    Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 30 June 2025
  • Snorkelers and divers in Palm Beach County were recently stunned by a disturbing sight: starfish, also known as sea stars, with missing limbs, open wounds and bodies disintegrating on the ocean floor.
    Sonia Osorio, Miami Herald, 30 June 2025
Verb
  • However, when viruses were exposed to sunlight, many of them did not survive as long, decaying in under 24 hours.
    Jack Knudson, Discover Magazine, 13 Mar. 2025
  • The result was not only environmental catastrophe but license for unchecked consumption of cheap plastic goods that can take a few minutes to use but hundreds of years to decay.
    Scott W. Stern, The Atlantic, 10 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Immigration enforcement operations on farms have left crops rotting and farm operations disrupted in major agricultural states including California, Texas, and Pennsylvania.
    Billal Rahman Dan Gooding, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 June 2025
  • Avoid sodding shady spots during the rainy season to prevent decline due to rot problems.
    Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Decompose.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://x0upouf933.proxynodejs.usequeue.com/thesaurus/decompose. Accessed 13 Jul. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on decompose

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