decomposition

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.

This movement into lower soil layers is linked not only to the decomposition of organic material but also to biological activity, such as organisms that help break down leaves and redistribute particles.

From Science Daily • Mar. 23, 2026

The researchers found the highest concentrations in the top layer of leaf litter, where decomposition has just begun.

From Science Daily • Mar. 23, 2026

And since raising their concerns, Ronald's wife Patricia died on 3 February, never knowing how her husband came to be in such an advanced state of decomposition.

From BBC • Mar. 15, 2026

The decomposition of her body indicated that she had already been "deceased for several weeks", investigators have said.

From BBC • Feb. 26, 2026

It was a smell of general decomposition but one with universal dimensions, one that an athlete could identify until the day of his death.

From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy