decompose
Americanverb (used with object)
-
decomposes,
present (3rd person singular)
-
decomposed,
past participle, past
-
decomposing
present participle
verb (used without object)
-
decomposes,
present (3rd person singular)
-
decomposed,
past participle, past
-
decomposing
present participle
verb
-
to break down (organic matter) or (of organic matter) to be broken down physically and chemically by bacterial or fungal action; rot
-
chem to break down or cause to break down into simpler chemical compounds
-
to break up or separate into constituent parts
-
(tr) maths to express in terms of a number of independent simpler components, as a set as a canonical union of disjoint subsets, or a vector into orthogonal components
Synonym Usage
See decay.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
decomposesimple
-
decomposessimple
-
have decomposedperfect
-
has decomposedperfect
-
am decomposingprogressive
-
are decomposingprogressive
-
is decomposingprogressive
-
have been decomposingperfect progressive
-
has been decomposingperfect progressive
Past
-
decomposedsimple
-
had decomposedperfect
-
was decomposingprogressive
-
were decomposingprogressive
-
had been decomposingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of decompose
1745–55; < French décomposer, equivalent to dé- dis- 1 + composer to compose
Explanation
The verb decompose means to break down or decay, like tree leaves that decompose into dirt, or cell phone batteries that decompose, resulting in more frequent charging for the user. You know that the prefix de- means "remove" or "undo." And something that's composed is made up of parts. So to decompose is to undo all the parts until they go back to their original state: dirt. Living things decompose. When things like buildings or organizations break down, you typically use words like dismantle or deconstruct to describe the process.
Vocabulary lists containing decompose
"The Ravine," Vocabulary from the short story
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Can You Dig It? Words for Dirt and Soil
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"Living in the Dark," Vocabulary from the science article
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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.
See Examples For:
And when their work is done, leaves fall to the ground and decompose, creating fertile soil.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
"Many of the bodies were starting to badly decompose, and there was an unbearable stench in the whole area," said Rudra Adhikary, a member of the district Red Cross committee.
From Barron's ● Aug. 30, 2026
"You can decompose a thought into subcomponents, like little atoms of logical propositions, and you can combine them in a hierarchical manner to make more complex structured rules, very akin to language."
From Science Daily ● Aug. 11, 2026
The pair previously told of how Harriet's body had been allowed to decompose so badly by NUH, it had to be triple-bagged for her funeral.
From BBC ● Jun. 23, 2026
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
The whale has gained in size in recent days because of a build-up of gas as the carcass decomposes, and some islanders are worried it may explode.
From BBC ● May 20, 2026
Fires that start below the surface often begin spontaneously, as organic matter decomposes and creates heat, fueled by oxygen that sneaks in through the cracks.
From Barron's ● Apr. 30, 2026
Similar to oil drill sites, landfills have an extensive network of underground wells that are used to extract gases produced as buried waste decomposes.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 28, 2025
The idea was to reduce the amount of food that ends up in landfills, where it emits greenhouse gases as it decomposes, a major factor contributing to climate change.
From Salon ● Jan. 22, 2025
“It’s just a case of remembering that oxalic acid on heating decomposes into carbon dioxide, water, and good old carbon monoxide. College chem, you know.”
From "I, Robot" by Isaac Asimov
"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
The fires are difficult to extinguish because many occurred on peatlands, a wetland ecosystem with layers of partially decomposed organic materials that become flammable when dry.
From Barron's ● Sep. 5, 2026
Unlike in 1986, when many of the artifacts, especially the elephant tusks, decomposed after being exposed to the open air, Ran improvised a new system for the dig.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 8, 2026
"Our study shows, more precisely than ever before, how much carbon is safely stored in the seabed - and just how much of the decomposed material actually originates from the old permafrost," says Manuel Ruben.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 3, 2026
Marshy silt and decomposed plants made a surface that looked completely solid, but it was even worse than quicksand.
From "The Son of Neptune" by Rick Riordan
The soggy ground, along with acidification, prevents the underground matter from decomposing completely as it is slowly pickled into peat.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026
While many maggots consume dead or decomposing material, screwworm larvae feed on healthy, living flesh.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 15, 2026
Even from outside the front door, medics detected the strong and distinct smell of a decomposing human body.
From BBC ● Sep. 11, 2026
In the cart, she “found dozens of dishes covered in decomposing, mold-covered food,” the complaint said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 28, 2026
Bacteria perform a wide variety of actions beneficial to humans, from decomposing organic matter to leavening bread.
From "Phineas Gage" by John Fleischman
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