oxidize

verb

Definition of oxidizenext
as in to decompose
to combine chemically with oxygen Iron will oxidize if it is exposed to air and moisture.

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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 oxidize These oxidizing species can chemically react with the membrane that surrounds a bacterium, damaging and destroying it. — Rahul Rao, Space.com, 19 Aug. 2026 The other is methemoglobinemia, a condition where hemoglobin is oxidized into a form that can’t release oxygen to tissue. — Jesse M. Pines, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026 The leaves used to make green tea are not oxidized during processing. — Christopher Bergland, Verywell Health, 3 Aug. 2026 DeRosa highlighted aubergine, rust, terra-cotta, burgundy, and oxidized earth tones. — Kristina McGuirk, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for oxidize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for oxidize
  1. decompose
  2. rust
  3. react
  4. disintegrate
  5. crumble
  6. corrode
Verb
  • But the situation is far more tragic, with videos on social media showing dozens of coffins lined up beside mass graves, awaiting burial before the bodies decompose in the heat.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The body itself was badly decomposed after spending an unknown amount of time exposed to the elements, with animals, bugs and rain, plus 50 years in storage.
    — Taylor Romine, CNN Money, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of decompose
Verb
  • Paint has worn off and the metal underneath is rusted on the 1,092-foot warship, which is one of the largest in the world.
    — Mosheh Gains, NBC news, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Cormac’s truck is weathered, rusted, dinged, easy to find in a crowd.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of rust
Verb
  • Two rows back sat Charlie Kirk’s father, who was bent forward, and mother, who wasn’t reacting physically but taking in what the judge was saying.
    — Andi Babineau, CNN Money, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Columbia Sportswear utilizes proprietary Omni-Freez Zero technology, which uses special polymer rings embedded in the fabric that react with sweat to pull heat away from the body.
    — David Moin, Footwear News, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of react
Verb
  • The house was the only one that was still standing; all the others have disintegrated into abstract shapes.
    — Alex Jovanovich, Artforum, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Cristobal disintegrated just as quickly in the northern Atlantic on August 13.
    — Chris Dolce, CNN Money, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of disintegrate
Verb
  • Concrete barriers designed to keep cars out of the secure area crumbled as the jet, weighing more than 100 tons, headed straight for a four-lane road.
    — Maria Aguilar Prieto, CNN Money, 7 Sep. 2026
  • And over the years, this utopian town, which at the beginning looked great, has completely crumbled into a world of recluses and hoarders.
    — Elisabeth Garber-Paul, Rolling Stone, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of crumble
Verb
  • The element reacts violently with moisture, corrodes rapidly in normal air, and poses an immediate fire hazard if exposed to humidity.
    — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 4 Sep. 2026
  • After 3,000 drops, roughly equivalent to an afternoon of moderate rain, the copper plate beneath all four surfaces had corroded, despite its Teflon coating.
    — Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of corrode

Browse Nearby Words

oxcarts
oxidize
oxidized
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Cite this Entry

“Oxidize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/oxidize. Accessed 10 Sep. 2026.

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