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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

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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
This happens to all kinds of bakes—yeast bread, quick bread, biscuits, muffins, and sourdough—and all of the above can also grow mold after a certain point. — Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Sep. 2026 Flies and gnats were also observed throughout the kitchen, and mold was seen on chicken inside the make table. — Joseph Hernandez, Kansas City Star, 18 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 text of the agreement, which has been released publicly by the administration, establishes a joint study between the two countries on the feasibility of an enrichment facility on Saudi Arabian soil.
    — Chris Boccia, ABC News, 17 Sep. 2026
  • If your home uses a septic system, wastewater flows into a tank and filters through soil.
    — Ryan Brennan, Sacbee.com, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of soil
Verb
  • McGraw said their policy is to allow carcasses to decompose naturally, which is similar to rules followed by the Forest Preserves of Cook County, Cotter said.
    — Gloria Casas, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Most of the remains were severely decomposed, but investigators believed Montgomery had been dead for less than a day when he was found.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of decompose
Noun
  • Dyson is hardly a stranger to powerful cleaning gear, and taking $100 off makes this one much easier to consider if your current vacuum, or even your trusty Roomba, is losing the daily argument with fur, crumbs, and dirt.
    — Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Grab the corners and shake off any loose crumbs, dirt, hair, dust, and debris.
    — Sheila Kim, The Spruce, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of dirt
Verb
  • The blaze left more than 89 million pounds of rotting food, triggering over 4,900 odor complaints and 38 violation notices as Lineage missed the city’s 45-day cleanup deadline despite a $150-million effort.
    — Roger Vincent, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Trim away any soft or rotting roots with a clean, sharp knife.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of rot
Noun
  • Instead of constructing a large containment structure above ground, the company plans to place the reactor inside a borehole roughly one mile below the surface.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 15 Sep. 2026
  • So prohibiting this technique on safety grounds would also tend to result in higher prices.
    — Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of ground
Verb
  • Scott’s face, in this shot, is a whole novel, disintegrating into tears before being shored up again, eventually rearranged into something resembling a welcoming smile that teeters on the edge of collapse.
    — Alison Willmore, Vulture, 15 Sep. 2026
  • But slack defending allowed Chelsea’s individual quality to shine and as the match wore on, United’s confidence disintegrated.
    — Cerys Jones, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of disintegrate
Noun
  • The quartz silica sand used for the protective glass is mined nearby in Spruce Pine.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Laguna Beach, Dana Point and Carlsbad last week declared local states of emergency, citing coastal erosion and sand loss from the effects of a south swell brought on by Hurricane Marie.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of sand
Verb
  • These pesky insects love the damp, decaying environment provided by wet grounds.
    — Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Sep. 2026
  • Get rid of leaves and other debris as well as decaying plants in flower beds that can serve as breeding grounds.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 17 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 23 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on mold

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about mold

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