What is another word for decay?

Synonyms for decay
dɪˈkeɪde·cay

This thesaurus page includes all potential synonyms, words with the same meaning and similar terms for the word decay.

English Synonyms and Antonyms2.0 / 2 votes

  1. decay

    Rot is a strong word, ordinarily esteemed coarse, but on occasion capable of approved emphatic use; as, "the name of the wicked shall rot," Prov. x, 7; decay and decompose are now common euphemisms. A substance is decomposed when resolved into its original elements by any process; it is decayed when resolved into its original elements by natural processes; it decays gradually, but may be instantly decomposed, as water into oxygen and hydrogen; to say that a thing is decayed may denote only a partial result, but to say it is decomposed ordinarily implies that the change is complete or nearly so. Putrefy and the adjectives putrid and putrescent, and the nouns putridity and putrescence, are used almost exclusively of animal matter in a state of decomposition, the more general word decay being used of either animal or vegetable substances.

    Synonyms:
    corrupt, decompose, molder, putrefy, rot, spoil

Princeton's WordNet2.1 / 7 votes

  1. decaynoun

    the process of gradually becoming inferior

    Synonyms:
    disintegration, decomposition, radioactive decay, decline

  2. decay, declinenoun

    a gradual decrease; as of stored charge or current

    Synonyms:
    disintegration, fall, downslope, descent, radioactive decay, decomposition, declension, decline, declivity, declination, diminution

  3. decay, decompositionnoun

    the organic phenomenon of rotting

    Synonyms:
    disintegration, chemical decomposition reaction, decomposition, putrefaction, radioactive decay, vector decomposition, decline, rot, rotting, decomposition reaction

  4. decaynoun

    an inferior state resulting from the process of decaying

    "the corpse was in an advanced state of decay"; "the house had fallen into a serious state of decay and disrepair"

    Synonyms:
    disintegration, decomposition, radioactive decay, decline

  5. decay, radioactive decay, disintegrationverb

    the spontaneous disintegration of a radioactive substance along with the emission of ionizing radiation

    Synonyms:
    disintegration, decomposition, radioactive decay, decline, annihilation, dissolution

  6. disintegrate, decay, decomposeverb

    lose a stored charge, magnetic flux, or current

    "the particles disintegrated during the nuclear fission process"

    Synonyms:
    break down, break up, moulder, disintegrate, decompose, molder, dilapidate, crumble, rot

  7. decay, crumble, dilapidateverb

    fall into decay or ruin

    "The unoccupied house started to decay"

    Synonyms:
    break down, dilapidate, decompose, crumple, disintegrate, tumble, collapse, crumble, fall apart

  8. decayverb

    undergo decay or decomposition

    "The body started to decay and needed to be cremated"

    Synonyms:
    crumble, decompose, dilapidate, disintegrate

Dictionary of English Synonymes0.0 / 0 votes

  1. decayverb

    Synonyms:
    decline, fail, deteriorate, wither, waste, perish, be impaired, waste away, fall into decay

  2. decayverb

    Synonyms:
    rot, putrefy, be spoiled

  3. decaynoun

    Synonyms:
    decline, decadence, deterioration, degeneracy

Synonyms, Antonyms & Associated Words0.0 / 0 votes

  1. decaynoun

    Synonyms:
    deterioration, corruption, decline, decadence, senescence, retrogradation, decomposition, caducity, putrefaction, putrescence, rot, eremacausis

  2. decayverb

    Synonyms:
    decline, retrograde, deteriorate, rot, decompose, putrefy, moulder

How to pronounce decay?

How to say decay in sign language?

Usage in printed sourcesFrom: 

Words popularity by usage frequency

rankingword
#1232fall
#1980waste
#3885consumption
#4933decrease
#5615decline
#6904corruption
#7052collapse
#7229sink
#7864breakdown
#10134decay
#11185degradation
#11969corrupt
#13070descent
#14415wasting
#14991decomposition
#17344rot
#17507dissolution
#17934tumble
#18311deterioration
#18374sinking
#21436spoil
#23078degeneration
#27826perish
#29613waning
#30671ebb
#30957annihilation
#35279rotting
#38113disintegration
#38177declination
#40580crumble
#40780decadence
#46656decompose
#49828wither
#52227wane
#53466diminution
#59727decomposing
#71034disintegrate
#84405dwindle
#90318moulder
#116185crumple
#116269downslope
#117285molder
#117527declension
#165249putrefaction
#239639rottenness
#253199declivity

How to use decay in a sentence?

  1. Percy Bysshe Shelley:

    Government is an evil; it is only the thoughtlessness and vices of men that make it a necessary evil. When all men are good and wise, government will of itself decay.

  2. Harold Wilson:

    He who rejects change is the architect of decay. The only human institution which rejects progress is the cemetery.

  3. Gabriella Sciolla:

    Z-prime is much heavier than a Z particle, something like tens of times the mass, z-prime can decay in a very simple way that yields two very energetic muons, which are basically heavier versions of electrons. If we can detect the muon signature of Z-prime, that would support models that predict the existence of Z-prime.

  4. Alfred North Whitehead:

    Without adventure civilization is in full decay.

  5. Oliver Goldsmith:

    Ill fares the land, to hastening ills a prey, where wealth accumulates, and men decay.


Translations for decay

From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary

  • تضعضع, تحلل, اضمحلArabic
  • влошаване, гния, загнивам, разлагам се, развалям се, разлаганеBulgarian
  • rozklad, rozkládat se, hniloba, hnítCzech
  • henfaldDanish
  • Verwesung, verfallen, verfaulen, verrotten, verderben, verwesen, Verfall, faulen, abklingen, zerfallen, vermodernGerman
  • φθοράGreek
  • kadukiĝoEsperanto
  • deteriorar, pudrirSpanish
  • lahoaminen, rapautuminen, heikentyä, rapautua, maatua, mädäntyä, laho, heikkeneminen, rappeutua, heiketä, pilaantua, lahotaFinnish
  • décrépitude, pourrirFrench
  • meathlaigh, meath, meathlúIrish
  • crìonadh, mùthadhScottish Gaelic
  • התקלקלHebrew
  • क्षयHindi
  • szuvasodik, elmállik, romlás, elpusztul, tönkremegy, hanyatlás, pusztulás, korhad, rothadHungarian
  • փտել, փչանալArmenian
  • kerusakanIndonesian
  • dekadoIdo
  • imputridireItalian
  • 減衰Japanese
  • ლპობა, ხრწნა, გაფუჭებაGeorgian
  • 썩다Korean
  • interitusLatin
  • pūtLatvian
  • taimate, hanehaneMāori
  • nedbrytingNorwegian
  • in verval raken, verloederen, slecht worden, vervallen, verrottenDutch
  • forfallNorwegian
  • gnić, rozkładPolish
  • putrefação, decompor-se, apodrecer, estragar, deterioração, apodrecimento, decomposição, deteriorar, putrefazerPortuguese
  • гнить, разложение, гниение, упадок, портиться, ухудшаться, разлагаться, распад, спадRussian
  • sönderfall, sönderfalla, förfalla, ruttna, förfall, förruttnelse, mattas, försämras, sönderdelas, tackla avSwedish
  • ผุThai
  • çürümek, fenalaşmakTurkish
  • کشیUrdu
  • phân hủyVietnamese
  • 衰變Chinese

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"decay." Synonyms.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2025. Web. 6 Feb. 2025. <https://www.synonyms.com/synonym/decay>.

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