| Main Entry: | decompose |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | rot, break up |
Synonyms: |
break down, crumble, decay, disintegrate, dissolve, fall apart, fester, molder, putrefy, putresce, spoil, taint, turn |
Antonyms: |
combine, develop, grow, improve |
| Main Entry: | decompose |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | analyze by taking apart |
Synonyms: |
anatomize, atomize, break down, break up, decompound, disintegrate, dissect, dissolve, distill, resolve, separate |
Antonyms: |
combine, join, put together, unite |
| Main Entry: | analyze |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | break down to components |
Synonyms: |
anatomize, break up, cut up, decompose, decompound, determine, disintegrate, dissect, dissolve, divide, electrolyze, hydrolyze, lay bare, parse, part, resolve, separate, x-ray |
Antonyms: |
assemble, combine, synthesize |
| Main Entry: | bite |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | corrode, eat away |
Synonyms: |
burn, consume, decay, decompose, deteriorate, dissolve, eat into, engrave, erode, etch, oxidize, rot, rust, scour, sear, slash, smart, sting, tingle, wear away |
| Main Entry: | corrupt |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | pervert; pollute |
Synonyms: |
abase, abuse, adulterate, animalize, bastardize, blemish, blight, bribe, contaminate, damage, debase, debauch, decay, decompose, deface, defile, deform, degrade, demean, demoralize, deprave, depreciate, despoil, disfigure, disgrace, dishonor, fix, grease palm, harm, hurt, ill-treat, impair, infect, injure, lower, lure, maltreat, mar, mistreat, misuse, outrage, pull down, putrefy, ravage, reduce, rot, ruin, spoil, square, stain, suborn, subvert, taint, undermine, violate, vitiate, warp, waste |
Antonyms: |
better, chasten, cleanse, dignify, improve, purify |
| Main Entry: | crumble |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | break or fall into pieces |
Synonyms: |
break up, collapse, crumb, crush, decay, decompose, degenerate, deteriorate, disintegrate, dissolve, fragment, go to pieces, granulate, grind, molder, perish, powder, pulverize, putrefy, triturate, tumble |
Antonyms: |
build, put together |
| Main Entry: | decay |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | deteriorate, crumble |
Synonyms: |
atrophy, be impaired, become contaminated, blight, break up, collapse, corrode, curdle, decline, decompose, defile, degenerate, depreciate, discolor, disintegrate, dissolve, dry-rot, dwindle, fade, fail, get worse, go bad, go to seed, go to the dogs, hit rock bottom, hit the skids, lessen, mildew, mold, molder, mortify, pejorate, perish, pollute, putrefy, putresce, reach depths, rot, sap, shrivel, sicken, sink, slump, spoil, suppurate, turn, wane, waste away, weaken, wear away, wither |
Antonyms: |
build, develop, flourish, germinate, grow, improve, ripen, strengthen |
| Main Entry: | deteriorate |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | decay, degenerate |
Synonyms: |
adulterate, alloy, be worse for wear, become worse, break, corrode, corrupt, crumble, debase, debilitate, decline, decompose, degrade, deprave, depreciate, descend, disimprove, disintegrate, ebb, fade, fail, fall apart, flag, go downhill, go to pieces, go to pot, go to the dogs, hit the skids, impair, injure, languish, lapse, lessen, lose it, lose quality, lower, mar, pervert, regress, retrograde, retrogress, rot, sink, skid, slide, spoil, undermine, vitiate, weaken, wear away, worsen |
| Notes: | to degenerate means 'to decline in value, move lower on a scale' but to deteriorate means 'to worsen, to become lowered, or be reduced in value'; degenerate pertains more to character and virtue while deteriorate is more about loss of strength or vitality |
Antonyms: |
build, construct, develop, get better, improve |
| Main Entry: | disintegrate |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | fall apart; reduce to pieces |
Synonyms: |
atomize, break apart, break down, break up, come apart, crumble, decay, decline, decompose, degenerate, deliquesce, descend, detach, dilapidate, disband, disconnect, disimprove, dismantle, disorganize, disperse, disunite, divide, fade away, fall to pieces, molder, pulverize, putrefy, rot, separate, sever, shatter, sink, splinter, spoil, taint, take apart, turn, turn to dust, wash away, wash out, wither, worsen |
Antonyms: |
combine, meld, unite |
| Main Entry: | dissect |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | analyze |
Synonyms: |
anatomize, break down, decompose, decompound, examine, explore, inquire about, inspect, investigate, resolve, scrutinize, study |