as in rusting
to combine chemically with oxygen
Iron will oxidize if it is exposed to air and moisture.
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Recent Examples of oxidizing
The acid prevents cut apples from oxidizing and turning brown, while keeping sliced avocadoes or guacamole bright green.
—
Catharine Kaufman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Apr. 2026
By capturing the oxygen, the coating prevents it from oxidizing the electrolyte and forming harmful byproducts.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 13 Mar. 2026
In the hole, life drops away quickly as oxygen disappears, below the surface (Oxic Zone) and transition levels (Suboxic Zone); at 100-140 m (330-460 ft), the third layer called the Anoxic Zone I is almost completely dominated by sulfur-oxidizing bacteria.
—New Atlas, 28 Dec. 2025
Those flies themselves depend on sulfur-oxidizing microbes as their primary food source.
—Humberto Basilio, Scientific American, 7 Nov. 2025
What's more, the oxidizing process would simply start again, and the entire structure would turn green again in a few short years.
—Theo Burman, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Sep. 2025
Today, the entire industrialized world is held up by the energy released by oxidizing organic carbon back to CO2.
—Peter Brannen, Big Think, 28 Aug. 2025
Catharine Kaufman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Apr. 2026
By capturing the oxygen, the coating prevents it from oxidizing the electrolyte and forming harmful byproducts.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 13 Mar. 2026
In the hole, life drops away quickly as oxygen disappears, below the surface (Oxic Zone) and transition levels (Suboxic Zone); at 100-140 m (330-460 ft), the third layer called the Anoxic Zone I is almost completely dominated by sulfur-oxidizing bacteria.
—New Atlas, 28 Dec. 2025
Those flies themselves depend on sulfur-oxidizing microbes as their primary food source.
—Humberto Basilio, Scientific American, 7 Nov. 2025
What's more, the oxidizing process would simply start again, and the entire structure would turn green again in a few short years.
—Theo Burman, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Sep. 2025
Today, the entire industrialized world is held up by the energy released by oxidizing organic carbon back to CO2.
—Peter Brannen, Big Think, 28 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for oxidizing
Verb
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There’s been a particular urgency lately, said Gutierrez, because the base of the sign is rusting and deteriorating.—
R. Christian Smith,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Mar. 2026
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The underside of the bridge is rusting and deteriorating.—
Chris Hoffman,
CBS News,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The search was prompted by soil vapor sampling, an experimental technology that detected volatile organic compounds potentially associated with decomposing human remains — though the method remains unproven in criminal investigations.—
Richard Winton,
Los Angeles Times,
6 May 2026
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Carie Hallford was sentenced to 30 years for her role in a scheme that involved hiding nearly 200 decomposing bodies.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In many cases, brands are reacting not only to public criticism itself, but to uncertainty, unpredictability, and fear of prolonged controversy.—
Lauryn Overhultz,
FOXNews.com,
7 May 2026
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And perhaps most importantly, the focus has shifted from simply reacting to symptoms to proactively managing the disease—improving not just skin outcomes, but overall quality of life.—
Lauryn Higgins,
Flow Space,
6 May 2026
Verb
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The meteor was moving southwest at 30,000 miles per hour and traveled 117 miles through the upper atmosphere before disintegrating 27 miles above the town of Galloway north of Atlantic City, New Jersey, according to NASA.—
Kate Perez,
USA Today,
8 Apr. 2026
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Last year, the Dominican Republic deported more than 100,000 Haitians back to their disintegrating country.—
George Packer,
The Atlantic,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The lawsuit, filed by the 300 Biscayne Boulevard Way Condominium Association, claims building residents have observed concrete balconies crumbling and the building's seawall corroding, issues that lawyers estimate will cost millions of dollars to repair.—
Larry Seward,
CBS News,
1 May 2026
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Under the proposal, Berlin would increase its budget by one fifth in 2027 compared to this year, requiring it to borrow upwards of $200 billion to revive its military industry and modernize crumbling infrastructure.—
Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson,
semafor.com,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In the Monday lawsuit, Maryland officials argue that DC Water was aware for over a decade before the January rupture that the Potomac Interceptor line was corroding and in need of replacement.—
Lily Carey,
Baltimore Sun,
20 Apr. 2026
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This confirmed the source as the reactor’s corroding nuclear fuel rather than background contamination from global fallout or nearby nuclear facilities.—
Munis Raza,
Interesting Engineering,
24 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Oxidizing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/oxidizing. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
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