decay
verb (used without object)
to become decomposed; rot.
were decaying
-
past progressiveof decay.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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.
Instead, they were decaying in a bug-infested building about two hours south of Denver.
From Seattle Times ● Apr. 15, 2024
Atoka had fallen on hard times: Residents had moved away, and downtown buildings were decaying.
From New York Times ● Mar. 20, 2023
Wooden benches were decaying, and weeds were growing beneath them.
From New York Times ● Jul. 30, 2016
Sometimes his paintings are packed with apparent spots of mold, as if the canvas itself were decaying.
From Time Magazine Archive
The last withered leaves were decaying and falling one by one upon the still pond….
From Jean-Christophe, Volume I by Gilbert Cannan
