decay
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
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“The first step was to understand the extent of the decay the house had endured,” as Jacobs recalled.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 9, 2026
They are released when excited atomic nuclei lose energy and move into lower, more stable states during radioactive decay.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 21, 2026
Symbols of neglect and urban decay abound in artist Sayre Gomez’s “Precious Moments” at David Kordansky Gallery, on view through March 1.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2026
They include food shortages, water contamination, plumbing stoppages, lost mail, and mental health decay, spurring some crew members to jump ship.
From Slate ● Aug. 19, 2026
The whole place carries the smell of unwashed bodies and tobacco smoke with a faint air of decay.
From "Dread Nation" by Justina Ireland
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When tritium decays, the neutrino carries away some energy, which slightly alters the energy pattern of the emitted electrons.
From Science Daily ● Dec. 27, 2025
It contains radium that decays into radon gas, which is radioactive and can cause cancer.
From Barron's ● Oct. 10, 2025
Keeping the truth from someone might not be outright dishonesty, but it’s a rot that decays the same way, just festering at a slower pace.
From Salon ● Apr. 18, 2025
In short, it's a scenario in which the universe continues to both expand and cool - while everything within it dies off, decays, and fades away.
From BBC ● Oct. 31, 2024
Then the galactic astronomers are out of business, the stars cool and die, matter itself decays and the universe becomes a thin cold haze of elementary particles.
From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan
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To investigate the mystery, the researchers measured gamma rays produced as a radioactive copper isotope decayed into zinc.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 21, 2026
Yet, despite this surge of security personnel, basic living conditions have only decayed.
From Slate ● Aug. 11, 2026
“Remote and hybrid work used to be a privilege, but its benefits over in-person work have decayed across the board,” Chris Martin, senior economist at Glassdoor, told MarketWatch.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 27, 2026
Greiff points out baby heather plants nearby now able to grow in gaps left by decayed moss.
From BBC ● May 30, 2026
By then all the stars will have burned out and the protons and neutrons in them will probably have decayed into light particles and radiation.
From "A Brief History of Time: And Other Essays" by Stephen Hawking
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Muons survive for only about 2.2 microseconds before decaying.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 18, 2026
"The smell is like decaying wood being burned – that's the characteristic smell of peat. And that peat contains decomposed wood and organic material from many different sources."
From BBC ● Sep. 6, 2026
From Boyle Heights to Monterey Park, residents said they were overwhelmed by the smoke from the week-long fire, and then tormented by the horrible stench from decaying meat and seafood.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026
When the local economy began declining in the 1970s, the store closed its doors and sat abandoned and decaying.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026
The decaying human form cannot sustain the power of spirit for long.
From "Shadowshaper" by Daniel José Older
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Vocabulary lists containing decay
Earth Science - Middle School
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Rocks and Minerals - Introductory
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Earth Science: Natural Resources and the Environment
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