decompose

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.

Despite recycling efforts, most plastic ends up in landfills where it can take centuries to decompose, leaching out chemicals during that time, Deeney said.

From Barron's • Jan. 26, 2026

New research has identified a straightforward and environmentally friendly way to decompose Teflon, one of the most resilient plastics in use today, and convert it into valuable chemical ingredients.

From Science Daily • Nov. 27, 2025

Gleaners rescue food that would otherwise contribute to methane emissions in landfills or decompose in fields.

From Salon • Jan. 28, 2025

It is used in solving antibiotic resistance and to image enzymes that can decompose plastics.

From BBC • Oct. 9, 2024

He could taste it on his tongue—dank, rotten, moldy—all the way to his stomach, as if he’d swallowed something that had begun to decompose.

From "The Kill Order (Maze Runner, Book Four; Origin)" by James Dashner