MOLDER Synonyms: 52 Similar and Opposite Words

molder

verb

ˈmōl-dər

Definition of molder

as in to decompose

to go through decomposition leaves moldering in the compost pile

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 molder The bodies of their mothers, fathers, grandparents, children and babies had moldered in a room-temperature building in Colorado. — Jesse Bedayn, Denver Post, 5 Feb. 2026 But then a fresh corpse turns up, as well as a long-moldering skeleton, and the club members are off and running. — Tom Gliatto, People.com, 27 Aug. 2025 The rescue project could easily have remained a warehouse of old books, dusty treasures moldering in the dark, occasionally accessed by scholars and hobbyists. — Andrew Silow-Carroll, Sun Sentinel, 9 June 2025 Yet the issue goes beyond the depressing sight of moldering groceries. — Jen Rose Smith, AFAR Media, 27 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for molder

Recent Examples of Synonyms for molder

Verb

What remains that haven’t been scavenged have decomposed to the point where DNA analysis is difficult and all but useless in Gaza, where there are no functioning laboratories able to test and compare samples.

— Bilal Shbeir, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026
Earwigs primarily feed on plants and decomposing organic matter and do not infest or damage stored food in the way some beetles, weevils, and moths might.

— Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 July 2026

Definition of decompose

Verb

In his inital letter, Lehmkuhl agreed that there is an urgent need to clear debris and address the persistent odor of millions of pounds of rotting food at the site.

— Jasmine Mendez Follow, Los Angeles Times, 4 July 2026
Applying mulch directly against plant stems traps moisture, leading to rotting and other issues.

— Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 July 2026

Definition of rot

Verb

In the two-thousands, after the State disintegrated, Wain and two other members, Michael Showalter and Michael Ian Black, formed the trio Stella, which helped define New York’s downtown alt-comedy scene.

— Michael Schulman, New Yorker, 5 July 2026
That changed in April 2023 when unknowing construction workers unceremoniously removed a disintegrating Pinky from its eyrie.

— Ryan Steven Green, Los Angeles Times, 29 June 2026

Definition of disintegrate

Verb

Leave some messiness in your garden and leave the leaves, as decaying leaves are great habitat for fireflies.

— Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 5 July 2026
Many kinds of fly larvae eat dead or decaying tissue and may sometimes end up on meat, but New World screwworm larvae need living tissue to survive and develop.

— Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 5 July 2026

Definition of decay

Verb

More than that, Kreisel writes, some viewed it as a tool to mold spirituality back home into a form that would not conflict with modern science.

— Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 7 July 2026
Pulitzer-Prize finalist Daniel Mason molds his new novel around Miles Krzelewski, married to a Stanford academic superstar, twelve years tardy on his dissertation.

— Hamilton Cain, Time, 7 July 2026

Definition of mold

Browse Nearby Words

molded

molder

moldered

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Molder.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/molder. Accessed 15 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of molder

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on molder

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

loquacious

Popular in Grammar & Usage

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

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

Popular in Wordplay

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

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

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Games & Quizzes