decayed

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.

Zoologists believe the animal decayed for weeks before it was fossilised and this led to the case of mistaken identity.

From BBC • Apr. 8, 2026

As the Soviet empire decayed, the idea of Central Europe returned.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 26, 2025

Over time, the soft tissues decayed away, leaving the clay film and the skeleton, which later fossilized on longer timescales.

From Science Daily • Nov. 30, 2025

Methane spends a lot less time in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide; about 20 years after it's released, most of it will have decayed, while carbon dioxide lingers in the atmosphere for hundreds of years.

From Salon • Sep. 17, 2024

On some nights when we really need it, Pa allows Ma to cook a tiny portion of the rice and mask the smell by burning damp, decayed leaves in the fire.

From "First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers" by Loung Ung