From my thesis:
“These complexes are temporary, and are dissolved when the leading edge of the motile cell has passed beyond the anchor-point.”
(note from advisor): don’t use the word dissolved, it has too specific a meaning (i.e. going into solution.)
“These complexes are temporary, and are decomposed…”
“These complexes are temporary, and are deconstructed…”
“These complexes are temporary, and are degraded…”
“These complexes are temporary, and FALL THE FUCK APART…”
Argh.
I feel your pain – I have the same problem sometimes. Luckily the thesaurus isn’t extinct.
Disappear or dissipate look good candidates to me.
Thanks Bob. It’s just funny how different words carry such a context. Like “decomposed” makes me think of a compost pile, deconstructed like a tortured literary analogy, and disappear like some kind of magical ninja creature, none of which are quite the impression I’m trying to give! Thanks for the link, too.
decay?
Hmmm…actually I kind of like the sound of “decay”
‘Discombooberated’ works for me, though possibly not ‘fubarized’.
Brilliant. It’s funny how much weight words carry in science writing! I agonized over every word in my dissertation. That is in no way helpful to you, however. How about “dismantled”? Or does that imply that there is something around to do the dismantling? And I would say that the complexes are transient, not temporary.
Dissociate? Disassemble?
I suspected you might have had some similar issues in your recent thesis Anna, and its exactly like you say, science writing makes you realize the implications of words like dismantled, that something does the dismantling which is not the intent of the sentence. I’m going to take your suggestion on “transient” though, that does have more of the ring I’m looking for.
Henry, I’m going to steal “fubarized” for a presentation on Sunday. Well played.
I really appreciate all the comments and help, y’all, thanks!
How about splurged? It has a nice sound to it.
fragment?
I personally like Cath’s suggestion best… what did you pick, in the end?