decomposition

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.

This movement into lower soil layers is linked not only to the decomposition of organic material but also to biological activity, such as organisms that help break down leaves and redistribute particles.

From Science Daily • Mar. 23, 2026

The decomposition of her body indicated that she had already been "deceased for several weeks", investigators have said.

From BBC • Feb. 26, 2026

There, detectives discovered the body of 87-year-old William Mitchell, which had been in the mortuary room for 36 days and showed "obvious signs of decomposition", the court heard.

From BBC • Feb. 19, 2026

Some may be transformed into compounds that microbes can further break down, while others could become even more resistant to decomposition.

From Science Daily • Feb. 9, 2026

But pathologists soon realized that too many variables—from the humidity in the air to the type of clothing on the corpse—affect the rate of decomposition to allow a precise calculation.

From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann