1. to break down naturally through the action of living organisms such as bacteria

Examples

• Plastic bags can take hundreds of years to biodegrade in landfills.
• The company developed packaging that will biodegrade within six months.
• Food scraps biodegrade quickly in a compost pile.
• Scientists are studying how different materials biodegrade in ocean water.
• Paper products typically biodegrade much faster than synthetic materials.
• The new detergent is designed to biodegrade completely after use.