decay

Intermediate

/dɪˈkeɪ/

verb
to become gradually damaged, worse, or less; to cause something to do this

decay in a sentence

  • “Sugar makes your teeth decay.”
  • “The role of the extended family has been decaying for some time.”
  • “Pollution has decayed the surface of the stonework on the front of the cathedral.”
  • “the smell of decaying meat”

What does “decay” mean?

decay (verb) means to become gradually damaged, worse, or less; to cause something to do this. It is pronounced /dɪˈkeɪ/. Vocaby pairs the definition with audio and real example sentences so the word is easy to remember — and brings it back for review right before you'd forget it.

Frequently asked questions

What does "decay" mean?
decay (verb) means: to become gradually damaged, worse, or less; to cause something to do this
How do you pronounce "decay"?
"decay" is pronounced /dɪˈkeɪ/ in IPA. You can tap to hear it spoken aloud in the Vocaby app.
How do you use "decay" in a sentence?
Here is "decay" used in a sentence: Sugar makes your teeth decay.

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