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.

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

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 Chloride ions readily attack many alloys, while components around the oxygen-producing anode side are simultaneously subject to strongly oxidizing electrochemical potentials. — New Atlas, 3 Sep. 2026 Solar ultraviolet photons break apart bonds in molecules, creating radicals, which oxidize VOCs. — Michael A. Robinson, The Conversation, 25 Aug. 2026 Another common sign is rancidity, which occurs when the natural oils in the peanuts oxidize after prolonged exposure to air, light, or heat, Cutter says. — Olivia McIntosh, Martha Stewart, 22 Aug. 2026 The sun really did a number on it, oxidizing the paint, while water also found its way into one of the engines. — Caleb Jacobs, The Drive, 20 Aug. 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
  • Loggers found the teenagers’ decomposing bodies in the forest, one of them tied to a tree with electrical wire, prosecutors said.
    — Michael McGough, Sacbee.com, 5 Nov. 2026
  • Fall leaves create a natural mulch, which helps suppress weeds and improves the soil with organic matter as the leaves decompose.
    — Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 1 Nov. 2026
Definition of decompose
Verb
  • Challenge coins, which are much larger than monetary coins, are covered in paint and made with ferrous metals that Murphy said will rust and leave marks on the stones.
    — Jeff Wagner, CBS News, 11 Nov. 2026
  • In her sharp, signature prose, Proulx builds out the farms and wilderness of Wyoming, ruin and rust always on the horizon.
    — Jasmine Vojdani, Vulture, 10 Nov. 2026
Definition of rust
Verb
  • The Moon’s square to Uranus favors checking the information before reacting to the inconvenience.
    — Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 3 Nov. 2026
  • These gases react with one another, so their simultaneous presence can suggest that biological processes are replenishing them.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of react
Verb
  • Last time Brooklyn took the court, its offense had disintegrated into an 11-point fourth quarter against the Knicks.
    — C.J. Holmes, New York Daily News, 5 Nov. 2026
  • The trends observed in this article may not completely disintegrate the value created by AI.
    — Tomas Milar, Forbes.com, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of disintegrate
Verb
  • The unrest began with a handful of student demonstrations over crumbling infrastructure and overcrowded high-school classrooms, then rippled across France to encompass labor unions with grievances over the cost of living.
    — Sarah Moroz, Pitchfork, 10 Nov. 2026
  • Invite more than four, the regular season would be severely diminished and the very structure of the game would crumble.
    — Kirk Bohls, Houston Chronicle, 9 Nov. 2026
Definition of crumble
Verb
  • Early molten salt methods failed to keep the salt bath from corroding the valuable silicon substrate.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 29 Oct. 2026
  • The problem, however, is its high chloride content, which can corrode electrodes and other electrolyzer components, and also trigger unwanted reactions that produce toxic chlorine compounds.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of corrode

Browse Nearby Words

oxcarts
oxidize
oxidized
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Oxidize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/oxidize. Accessed 13 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

31 Useful Rhetorical Devices

More Commonly Misspelled Words

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

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Longest Long Words List

The Words of the Week - Nov. 13

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
speech-bubble-untangle
Simplify The Convoluted Expression Quiz A quiz that’s as “uncomplicated as a round de...
See All