as in decomposed
to combine chemically with oxygen
Iron will oxidize if it is exposed to air and moisture.
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Recent Examples of oxidized
Coffee beans that have oxidized can grow stale, and stale coffee beans aren’t likely to result in a delicious pot of coffee.
—
Stacey Lastoe, Southern Living, 2 May 2026
Inside the cell, the coal particles are directly oxidized through an oxide membrane, producing an electrochemical reaction that generates electricity on the spot.
—Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 26 Apr. 2026
Chondrites are divided into three families—ordinary, enstatite and carbonaceous—with the key difference being how oxidized their iron-bearing minerals are, much like the difference between a shiny unoxidized iron nail and one that’s rusty from heavy oxidation.
—Javier Barbuzano, Scientific American, 22 Apr. 2026
Black Tea Black tea is more fully oxidized than other varieties, resulting in a softer taste and fewer nutrients.
—Amy Brownstein, Verywell Health, 4 Mar. 2026
For the headstrong, maternal Agnes, who is spiritually caught between the modern world and a more ancient, primal place, Turzanska used a palette of sanguine, rust, russet, crimson, and prune, inspired by the different stages of blood—from freshly oxidized to aged, clotted, and scabbed.
—Elaina Patton, Vogue, 27 Nov. 2025
Black Tea Black tea is made from the same Camellia sinensis plant as green tea, but the leaves are fully oxidized, giving it a rich flavor and darker color.
—Caitlin Beale, Health, 4 Nov. 2025
It is unusually oxidized and stripped of elements like magnesium and calcium, a profile that Hurowitz said resembles soils on Earth that have been heavily weathered by long exposure to rain.
—Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 3 Oct. 2025
As ethyl alcohol, or ethanol, permeates the skin it is oxidized, generating an electric current that is proportional to the number of ethanol molecules the device picks up.
—Emily Waltz, IEEE Spectrum, 19 May 2016
Stacey Lastoe, Southern Living, 2 May 2026
Inside the cell, the coal particles are directly oxidized through an oxide membrane, producing an electrochemical reaction that generates electricity on the spot.
—Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 26 Apr. 2026
Chondrites are divided into three families—ordinary, enstatite and carbonaceous—with the key difference being how oxidized their iron-bearing minerals are, much like the difference between a shiny unoxidized iron nail and one that’s rusty from heavy oxidation.
—Javier Barbuzano, Scientific American, 22 Apr. 2026
Black Tea Black tea is more fully oxidized than other varieties, resulting in a softer taste and fewer nutrients.
—Amy Brownstein, Verywell Health, 4 Mar. 2026
For the headstrong, maternal Agnes, who is spiritually caught between the modern world and a more ancient, primal place, Turzanska used a palette of sanguine, rust, russet, crimson, and prune, inspired by the different stages of blood—from freshly oxidized to aged, clotted, and scabbed.
—Elaina Patton, Vogue, 27 Nov. 2025
Black Tea Black tea is made from the same Camellia sinensis plant as green tea, but the leaves are fully oxidized, giving it a rich flavor and darker color.
—Caitlin Beale, Health, 4 Nov. 2025
It is unusually oxidized and stripped of elements like magnesium and calcium, a profile that Hurowitz said resembles soils on Earth that have been heavily weathered by long exposure to rain.
—Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 3 Oct. 2025
As ethyl alcohol, or ethanol, permeates the skin it is oxidized, generating an electric current that is proportional to the number of ethanol molecules the device picks up.
—Emily Waltz, IEEE Spectrum, 19 May 2016
Recent Examples of Synonyms for oxidized
Verb
-
Halleck adds coffee grounds need to be decomposed by microbes first to release nitrogen and other nutrients.—
Lauren David,
Southern Living,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Her body was so badly decomposed; no DNA swab could be taken.—
Mary Murphy,
CBS News,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The contents — roughly 10 reels — were in poor condition, with many warped, rusted or fused together.—
Ryan Brennan
April 20,
Miami Herald,
20 Apr. 2026
-
If any of the items are rusted, cracked, or worn out, now is a good time to replace them.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
18 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
With the game’s score already out of hand, Story reacted strongly.—
Cody Stavenhagen,
New York Times,
6 May 2026
-
The gaps between how each group reacted were larger than in 2022, when a similar gas-price shock occurred after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the report found.—
Christopher Rugaber,
Chicago Tribune,
6 May 2026
Verb
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Late Saturday, rescue crews were trying to determine whether the ValuJet aircraft disintegrated on impact or partially lodged itself in the soft, marshy terrain of the Everglades.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
21 Apr. 2026
-
The car completely disintegrated, damaging several other vehicles.—
Jessica Riley,
CBS News,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Regularly check the batteries inside your emergency kit to make sure they are still securely packed and have not corroded.—
Louise Parks,
Martha Stewart,
1 May 2026
-
One of the more intriguing space stories in a while broke last week when NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman said during a congressional hearing that the two habitation modules built for the Lunar Gateway had been corroded.—
Eric Berger,
ArsTechnica,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Walls crumbled and the roof collapsed.—
Zohreh Saberi,
Los Angeles Times,
6 May 2026
-
Alaska Time would have awoken them as the north fjord wall crumbled just in front of the retreating tongue of the South Sawyer Glacier.—
Megan I. Gannon,
Scientific American,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
Some decayed quickly, effectively disappearing without having done much harm.—
Eduardo B. Farfán,
The Conversation,
21 Apr. 2026
-
It was revealed in court that the beech tree at the center of the incident had decayed prior to the branch falling, according to the Evening News and BBC.—
Abigail Adams,
PEOPLE,
14 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Oxidized.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/oxidized. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
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