decay
decays
decaying
decayed
Decay means to rot or decompose gradually. Regular verb: decay-decayed-decayed.
Meanings
- To rot or decompose
- To decline in quality
- To deteriorate
Common Collocations
tooth decay
urban decay
moral decay
radioactive decay
decay over time
Tip for Learners
Decay implies gradual deterioration. Works for physical matter, cities, and abstract concepts like morals.
Present Simple
| I | decay |
| you | decay |
| he/she/it | decays |
| we | decay |
| they | decay |
Examples - Present Simple
- I decay my compost naturally.
- You decay organic matter for the garden.
- He decays materials for his art projects.
- We decay food waste in our composter.
- They decay when left untreated.
Present Continuous
| I | am decaying |
| you | are decaying |
| he/she/it | is decaying |
| we | are decaying |
| they | are decaying |
Examples - Present Continuous
- I am decaying leaves for mulch.
- You are decaying these materials too slowly.
- She is decaying organic waste on purpose.
- We are decaying the plant matter for compost.
- They are decaying due to moisture and heat.
Present Perfect
| I | have decayed |
| you | have decayed |
| he/she/it | has decayed |
| we | have decayed |
| they | have decayed |
Examples - Present Perfect
- I have decayed many batches of compost.
- You have decayed this wood perfectly.
- He has decayed materials for his research.
- We have decayed enough waste for the garden.
- They have decayed over the winter months.
Present Perfect Continuous
| I | have been decaying |
| you | have been decaying |
| he/she/it | has been decaying |
| we | have been decaying |
| they | have been decaying |
Examples - Present Perfect Continuous
- I have been decaying organic materials for months.
- You have been decaying these leaves since fall.
- She has been decaying specimens for the study.
- We have been decaying compost all season.
- They have been decaying naturally for years.
Past Simple
| I | decayed |
| you | decayed |
| he/she/it | decayed |
| we | decayed |
| they | decayed |
Examples - Past Simple
- I decayed the organic waste over winter.
- You decayed the leaves into rich compost.
- He decayed the wood intentionally for the project.
- We decayed plant material successfully.
- They decayed faster than expected.
Past Continuous
| I | was decaying |
| you | were decaying |
| he/she/it | was decaying |
| we | were decaying |
| they | were decaying |
Examples - Past Continuous
- I was decaying materials when I noticed the smell.
- You were decaying the compost incorrectly.
- She was decaying samples in the lab.
- We were decaying waste when the bin overflowed.
- They were decaying throughout the humid summer.
Past Perfect
| I | had decayed |
| you | had decayed |
| he/she/it | had decayed |
| we | had decayed |
| they | had decayed |
Examples - Past Perfect
- I had decayed the materials before spring planting.
- You had decayed the leaves before I added more.
- He had decayed the specimens before analysis.
- We had decayed the waste before the inspection.
- They had decayed completely before we returned.
Past Perfect Continuous
| I | had been decaying |
| you | had been decaying |
| he/she/it | had been decaying |
| we | had been decaying |
| they | had been decaying |
Examples - Past Perfect Continuous
- I had been decaying compost for months before using it.
- You had been decaying materials improperly for weeks.
- She had been decaying samples for her research.
- We had been decaying organic matter all winter.
- They had been decaying slowly for years.
Future Simple
| I | will decay |
| you | will decay |
| he/she/it | will decay |
| we | will decay |
| they | will decay |
Examples - Future Simple
- I will decay these scraps into compost.
- You will decay the leaves by next spring.
- He will decay the materials for his experiment.
- We will decay all the organic waste.
- They will decay over time without treatment.
Future Continuous
| I | will be decaying |
| you | will be decaying |
| he/she/it | will be decaying |
| we | will be decaying |
| they | will be decaying |
Examples - Future Continuous
- I will be decaying materials throughout the fall.
- You will be decaying waste in the new composter.
- She will be decaying specimens for her thesis.
- We will be decaying scraps all winter.
- They will be decaying naturally over the months.
Future Perfect
| I | will have decayed |
| you | will have decayed |
| he/she/it | will have decayed |
| we | will have decayed |
| they | will have decayed |
Examples - Future Perfect
- I will have decayed enough material by spring.
- You will have decayed all the leaves by then.
- He will have decayed the samples by publication.
- We will have decayed sufficient compost by planting.
- They will have decayed completely by next year.
Future Perfect Continuous
| I | will have been decaying |
| you | will have been decaying |
| he/she/it | will have been decaying |
| we | will have been decaying |
| they | will have been decaying |
Examples - Future Perfect Continuous
- I will have been decaying compost for a year by spring.
- You will have been decaying materials for months.
- She will have been decaying specimens all semester.
- We will have been decaying waste for the whole season.
- They will have been decaying for decades by then.