mold 1 of 2

noun

Definition of moldnext
as in soil
the loose surface material in which plants naturally grow mold so rich that just about anything will grow in it

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

mold

2 of 2

verb

as in to decompose
to go through decomposition plants molding in the abandoned garden

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of mold
Noun
The less obvious risk of water damage is respiratory and health issues caused by bacteria and mold after the car is flooded, and cars that have been previously damaged by water can make their way back on the market. — Amaia Gavica, Miami Herald, 28 Sep. 2026 Proper storage ensures that the bird seed is protected from insects and rodents and stays mold-free. — Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 27 Sep. 2026
Verb
Yeah, there’s still a full ACC schedule, and Miami isn’t on it, and Louisville comes to Atlanta in November, so there’s time for Brent Key to mold this team back into a contender. — The Athletic College Football Staff, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026 With nowhere else to go on short notice, a desperate Jerry casts her, and then tries to mold her into some kind of acceptable performance. — Pete Hammond, Deadline, 5 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for mold
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mold
  1. soil
  2. decompose
  3. dirt
  4. rot
  5. ground
  6. disintegrate
  7. sand
  8. decay
Noun
  • The footpad cannot extract energy from chemically inert surfaces such as plastic, glass, soil, or organic tissue, prompting the team to add a small onboard supercapacitor to buffer power across dead zones.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 8 Oct. 2026
  • As regenerative claims become increasingly common, the sector needs to move beyond broad narratives and focus on measurable outcomes, from soil health and biodiversity to water use, emissions, yields and profitability.
    — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of soil
Verb
  • The evolution of land plants and the development of soil go hand in hand—as these pioneering plants, trees, and animals died and their decomposing remains were recycled on land, by fungi and the first soil invertebrates, modern soils began to form.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Even poor Maggie the cat — the only living animal in Digger’s house and possibly one of the last living animals in the world — is decomposing in his arms, his sister (Sandra Hüller) says with a shudder.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of decompose
Noun
  • There was like ten minutes of just chaos, with kids throwing dirt everywhere and getting excited to get little seeds put in their hands, and then being able to bring their plant home, and take care of it.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 Sep. 2026
  • The ball fell to the dirt, allowing Harris to score and Albies to get to third for his first career postseason triple.
    — Chad Bishop, AJC.com, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of dirt
Verb
  • Holly Bullard, chief strategy and development officer of the left-leaning Florida Policy Institute, says Florida’s policies have left traditional schools to rot.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 2 Oct. 2026
  • But these two things at a certain time of year, because in the summer, the cottage cheese would rot, and the eggs would spoil.
    — Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of rot
Noun
  • Pollinators and birds have found a welcoming haven here, is a spot that was previously barren, rocky ground.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • By mid-2013, mass disillusionment with the Brotherhood provided fertile ground for a military comeback.
    — Abdelrahman ElGendy, Time, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of ground
Verb
  • Studying an intact oarfish is remarkably difficult because their bodies typically disintegrate into brittle segments upon death.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 1 Oct. 2026
  • The white outer layer started to disintegrate before the audience’s eyes, eventually washing away to reveal a fire-red corseted bodysuit and miniskirt underneath—a pleasingly literal interpretation of the tour’s title.
    — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of disintegrate
Noun
  • Outside, Casa Marina’s 1,100 feet of private beach, lined with loungers and framed by two piers, is the most coveted slice of sand on the island—a true beach scene in a town where rocky shores are the norm.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026
  • On Monday, workers hauled out a 200-pound piece of equipment that was ruined by the saltwater and sand carried in on the high tides.
    — Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of sand
Verb
  • Park advocates have long argued that the existing city allocation is inadequate, leaving neighborhoods with decaying recreation centers, deteriorating swimming pools and filthy park bathrooms.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Activating young adults Volunteers spent most of the morning clearing out years of overgrowth, decaying structures and a greenhouse gone wild.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of decay

Browse Nearby Words

mokes
mold
moldable
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Mold.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mold. Accessed 8 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on mold

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about mold

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of etiquette

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
name tags
Words Named After People Quiz Find out who’s behind "leotard," "morphine," an...
See All