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 rule requires landfills to control methane emissions from decomposing waste.—
Shaun Boyd,
CBS News,
14 Apr. 2026
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Drainage problems and decomposing leaves and mulch will quickly attract them.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Before reacting or taking things personally, gather more information.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
16 Apr. 2026
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Starbucks representatives say its app can avoid this pitfall by reacting to feelings described or environmental cues rather than user history.—
Tristan Bove,
Fortune,
15 Apr. 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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Proponents of the extensions say the country remains wracked by gang violence and crumbling medical infrastructure.—
Alana Wise,
NPR,
16 Apr. 2026
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The money is expected to now be invested in the island’s crumbling power grid, which was razed by Hurricane Maria in 2017 but was already deteriorated given a lack of investment and maintenance.—
Dánica Coto,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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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
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These products kill roots on contact without corroding the pipes or killing off the tree.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
28 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Oxidizing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/oxidizing. Accessed 22 Apr. 2026.
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