Synonyms

decompose

American

[dee-kuhm-pohz] / ˌdi kəmˈpoʊz /

verb (used with object)

decomposed, decomposing

to separate or resolve into constituent parts or elements; disintegrate.

The bacteria decomposed the milk into its solid and liquid elements.

Synonyms:

analyze, fractionate, distill

verb (used without object)

decomposed, decomposing

to rot; putrefy.

The egg began to decompose after a day in the sun.

decompose British

/ ˌdiːkəmˈpəʊz, ˌdiːkɒmpəˈzɪʃən /

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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Related Words

See decay.

Other Word Forms

decomposability noun
decomposable adjective
decomposition noun
undecomposable adjective

Etymology

Origin of decompose

1745–55; < French décomposer, equivalent to dé- dis- ¹ + composer to compose

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.

But those scenarios can be “decomposed into a bunch of other smaller scenarios” that can be addressed through reasoning, he said.

From MarketWatch

"It was so upsetting to see - especially as we believe Floss had been living in the same house as the decomposing remains of her friend."

From BBC

In that instance, moss growth on a decomposing skeleton helped investigators estimate how long the individual had been dead.

From Science Daily

His latest invention, GraveTech, gives people the opportunity to say hello to their loved ones as they decompose six feet underground, at the touch of a button.

From Salon

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

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023