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.

In several cases, these concretions sealed off the interior lining, preserving pieces of fabric that would normally have decayed long ago.

From Science Daily • Jun. 8, 2026

Methane spends a lot less time in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide; about 20 years after it's released, most of it will have decayed, while carbon dioxide lingers in the atmosphere for hundreds of years.

From Salon • Sep. 17, 2024

Some of these radionuclides have a relatively short half-life and would already have decayed in the 12 years since the disaster.

From Scientific American • Jun. 23, 2023

The urgency is magnified by the age of the vehicles, and chemical components inside the airbags have decayed over time, further increasing the danger.

From Washington Times • Feb. 3, 2023

If an isotope is said to have a half-life of five years, you can expect roughly half of the atoms to have decayed in that amount of time.

From "Meltdown" by Deirdre Langeland