decayed 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of decayednext
1
as in degenerate
having lost forcefulness, courage, or spirit a candidate who vehemently rejects the idea that liberalism is a decayed political philosophy

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2
as in rotten
having undergone organic breakdown we routinely throw all decayed or unwanted organic matter into our compost heap

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decayed

2 of 2

verb

past tense of decay
1
as in decomposed
to go through decomposition the logs decayed on the rain forest floor the atom of plutonium decayed in the test chamber

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2
as in deteriorated
to become worse or of less value the restaurant's standards for food and service had decayed over the years

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3
as in faded
to lose bodily strength or vigor having reached her 80s, the woman could sense that her body was decaying

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Examples Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for decayed
  1. degenerate
  2. rotten
  3. deteriorated
  4. weak
  5. crumbled
  6. weakened
  7. degraded
  8. disintegrated
Adjective
  • There was alarm at the prospect of hundreds of thousands of soldiers returning to the U.S. with such degenerate experience under their belts, and presumably spreading these habits among hitherto innocent American wives.
    Rebecca Mead, The New Yorker, 9 Dec. 2024
  • Ammon did appear tempted to talk the walk in Portland, to become the Mormon cowboy philosopher king wandering a degenerate realm of an ailing Republic, but by now time was in extremely short supply.
    Matt Thompson, SPIN, 5 Nov. 2024
Definition of degenerate
Adjective
  • The prospect of a weaker board comes in the context of the urgent need to deal with huge issues facing MPS, especially after the rotten year the school system has had in 2024.
    Alan J. Borsuk, Journal Sentinel, 27 Dec. 2024
  • Just avoid adding rotten food to bokashi or worm bin composters because mold can throw off the composting process in indoor composting systems.
    Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Dec. 2024
Definition of rotten
Verb
  • The inside story of how this relationship deteriorated is worth a read.
    Chris Branch, The Athletic, 8 Jan. 2025
  • The increase in tests came as relations with the United States and its regional allies deteriorated and Pyongyang pulled closer to Russia.
    David Brennan, ABC News, 7 Jan. 2025
Definition of deteriorated
Adjective
  • Its woman-on-the-run story is weak at times, not quite engaging enough to get through the constant death and destruction.
    Kelly Lawler, USA TODAY, 9 Jan. 2025
  • China’s persistently low consumer inflation indicates that China is struggling with weak domestic demand, stoking fears of deflation.
    Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 9 Jan. 2025
Definition of weak
Verb
  • The rest of the batting order crumbled as sure as night follows day.
    Tim Ellis, Forbes, 31 Dec. 2024
  • As their world crumbled around them, many found hope in a dance ritual that adherents believed would ultimately spark an upheaval in which their enemies would be ousted and their once-free existence restored.
    Marc Ramirez, USA TODAY, 29 Dec. 2024
Definition of crumbled
Verb
  • But the militants, while greatly weakened, have repeatedly regrouped, often after Israeli forces withdraw from areas.
    Wafaa Shurafa, Los Angeles Times, 3 Jan. 2025
  • Those at high-risk for listeria infection are newborns, those who are pregnant, have weakened immune systems, and those aged 65 or older.
    Mike Snider, USA TODAY, 3 Jan. 2025
Definition of weakened
Adjective
  • These pollutants then build up in a confined area, resulting in degraded air quality, which may affect people with and other health concerns.
    Jess Thomson, Newsweek, 2 Dec. 2024
  • However, in the digital age, this kind of content has been mass-produced and even more degraded.
    Kyndall Cunningham, Vox, 6 June 2024
Definition of degraded
Verb
  • The coins were apparently stored in a leather pouch, which had disintegrated over time, and concealed within or behind a kitchen wall, according to the Jerusalem Post.
    Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 4 Jan. 2025
  • Roberto Mancini did make up with Carlos Tevez (or, at least, was willing to tolerate him) after their relationship at Manchester City appeared to have disintegrated.
    Daniel Taylor, The Athletic, 29 Dec. 2024
Definition of disintegrated
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 decayed

decay

decayed

decaying

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Cite this Entry

“Decayed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decayed. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on decayed

Nglish: Translation of decayed for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of decayed for Arabic Speakers

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