decay
verb (used without object)
to become decomposed; rot.
decaying
-
present participleof decay.present participle
A verb form that is used in progressive verb constructions and may also function as a modifier or a gerund.
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.
Woodall returned at the cafe’s request, filming the stained, decaying ceiling and the water-catching buckets and coffee pots on the floor.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 22, 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
Long-lived radioactive fission products keep decaying for months or even years, releasing a weak stream of particles called antineutrinos.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 14, 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
There was a stench to Forest now, as if it concealed dead, decaying things in the new thick darkness.
From "Messenger" by Lois Lowry
