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 That way, the potatoes will have less time to oxidize (or turn brown) before they’re added to the baking dish. — Martha Stewart, 20 July 2026 Brass hardware details—left unfinished to naturally oxidize and express their usage through time—dot much of the apartment. — Troy J. McMullen, Architectural Digest, 9 July 2026 These highly reactive oxygen-containing molecules can then oxidize organic substrates. — New Atlas, 3 July 2026 These work by releasing oxygen bubbles that literally oxidize the stains and dinginess. — Quincy Bulin, Southern Living, 1 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
  • 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
Verb
  • And, rather than let HALO rust in a warehouse, Northrop is doubling down on its commitment to the cause.
    — Josh Dinner, Space.com, 13 Aug. 2026
  • But workers who are rusting out still report to their shifts and perform, although with a fading sense of purpose.
    — Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of rust
Verb
  • By identifying exactly what the frustration concerns before reacting, leaders are more likely to channel emotion toward fixing broken systems instead of attacking individuals.
    — Rodger Dean Duncan, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2026
  • But the next inflation and employment reports — along with how financial markets react to them — will help further determine whether mortgage rates actually move meaningfully lower.
    — Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of react
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
Verb
  • The fundamental bargain the United States offered has crumbled, and it will not be easily rebuilt.
    — MARC LYNCH, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Also, why put this burden on federal agencies that are experiencing record low staffing shortages in facilities that are crumbling.
    — Walter Pavlo, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of crumble
Verb
  • Today, the town’s Victorian grandeur is rotting and crumbling away, its cast-iron piers corroded by sea salt.
    — George Francis Lee, New Yorker, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Liquid lead can corrode steel over time at normal operating temperatures of 530°C (about 990°F).
    — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 7 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 19 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of oxidize for Spanish Speakers

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