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
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Recent Examples of decompose
However, if the soil is too hot, water evaporates too quickly, roots are unable to take in nutrients from dry soil, and organic matter begins to decompose more quickly.
—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
24 June 2026
The stump grindings can be piled up in the back corner of the yard to decompose over a couple of years.
—
Tim Johnson,
Chicago Tribune,
21 June 2026
How long does cardboard take to decompose in the garden?
—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
18 June 2026
This sets them apart from other natural mulches like straw and wood chips, which have a high carbon content and take a year or more to decompose fully.
—
Nadia Hassani,
The Spruce,
11 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for decompose
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
24 June 2026
The stump grindings can be piled up in the back corner of the yard to decompose over a couple of years.
—
Tim Johnson,
Chicago Tribune,
21 June 2026
How long does cardboard take to decompose in the garden?
—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
18 June 2026
This sets them apart from other natural mulches like straw and wood chips, which have a high carbon content and take a year or more to decompose fully.
—
Nadia Hassani,
The Spruce,
11 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for decompose
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decompose
Verb
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That changed in April 2023 when unknowing construction workers unceremoniously removed a disintegrating Pinky from its eyrie.
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The experiments have shown how a self-repair mechanism enables the spindle to stabilize itself under force and avoid disintegrating.
Verb
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Leave some messiness in your garden and leave the leaves, as decaying leaves are great habitat for fireflies.
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Many kinds of fly larvae eat dead or decaying tissue and may sometimes end up on meat, but New World screwworm larvae need living tissue to survive and develop.
Verb
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In his inital letter, Lehmkuhl agreed that there is an urgent need to clear debris and address the persistent odor of millions of pounds of rotting food at the site.
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Applying mulch directly against plant stems traps moisture, leading to rotting and other issues.
Cite this Entry
“Decompose.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decompose. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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