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
The air quality testing report showed varying levels of mold found in multiple bathrooms, a concession room and the cafeteria. — Josh Taylor, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026 Extra moisture encourages mold growth and can shorten their shelf life. — Lynn Andriani, Martha Stewart, 15 Aug. 2026
Verb
Whereas the Scranton method mainly involves molding ultrahot steel in giant forging presses, Repkon added a step in which a fast-spinning machine squeezes and rolls out the metal like clay on a potter’s wheel. — Jesse Coburn, ProPublica, 12 Aug. 2026 The Community impact Rainbow Park’s closure is in some ways a flash point in the story of a changing neighborhood molded by economic and social pressures. — Austin Horn august 11, Miami Herald, 11 Aug. 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
  • Officials had to reset Buffalo’s play clock in the first quarter so umpire Tab Slaughter could smash down loose soil in the backfield.
    — Tim Graham, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Add the impacts of climate change, which have resulted in warmer springs and drier soils that reduce runoff into the reservoirs, and average or above-average rainfall no longer guarantees equivalent runoff.
    — Matthew Glasser, ABC News, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of soil
Verb
  • More than 50 decomposing bodies were found at the Far South Side funeral home last week.
    — Dave Savini, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026
  • According to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, the investigation has been complicated by how decomposed the bodies were.
    — Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of decompose
Noun
  • Astronomer and space historian Jonathan McDowell says that many rocket stages and other objects left in orbit between Earth and the moon since the first lunar missions in the 1960s may have ended up on the gray dirt.
    — Tereza Pultarova, Space.com, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Gatwood hoped to put in a new fence and was raking some rocks and dirt to make the yard smoother.
    — Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of dirt
Verb
  • City leaders have accused Lineage, whose warehouse in Boyle Heights was destroyed by fire, of blowing past the city’s 45-day deadline for removing millions of pounds of rotting food from its property.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Too thick a mulch layer can cause these normally smaller plants to remain wet and rot.
    — Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of rot
Noun
  • The sprawling, lushly landscaped grounds feature a large main pool as well as a separate, quieter adults-only pool, all overlooking the ocean.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Without adequate reinforcement, shifting ground can cause tunnels to collapse suddenly, burying miners within seconds.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of ground
Verb
  • Some types of masonry can start to disintegrate days after a fire if no one has weatherproofed it after the fire.
    — Giorgia Giardina, The Conversation, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Recent observations of some little red dots at lower redshifts have shown the cloud of gas around the black hole begin to disintegrate, exposing the black hole and the X-rays produced by the accretion of gas onto it.
    — Keith Cooper, Space.com, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of disintegrate
Noun
  • Look for oval depressions in sunny patches of sand where grouse took dust baths.
    — Tom Huggler, Outdoor Life, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Most are no larger than a particle of dust, or grain of sand.
    — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of sand
Verb
  • Researchers can look for this signal by measuring the average vertical direction of the positrons produced when the muons decay.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 15 Aug. 2026
  • The new owners took over the keys to a tired and decaying club in the spring and have since overseen a summer renovation that has stretched from assembling a new first-team squad to restoring hot water to Hillsborough.
    — Philip Buckingham, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of decay

Browse Nearby Words

mokes
mold
moldable
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Cite this Entry

“Mold.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mold. Accessed 20 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on mold

Nglish: Translation of mold for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about mold

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