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

In “Vaccine Flag,” a vertical banner arcs gracefully across a soft gradient of L.A. haze, but the banner’s fabric is so tattered and decayed that its advertisement for vaccines is barely legible.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 16, 2026

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

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 26, 2025

As these elements decayed, they produced heat, and by migrating from the deep crust to higher levels, they carried heat away.

From Science Daily • Oct. 16, 2025

The huge red flowers were gone, replaced with wrinkled, withered husks, the petals screwed up and decayed.

From "City of the Plague God" by Sarwat Chadda