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putrefy

verb

Synonyms and Antonyms of putrefy

to go through decomposition

  • we traced the bad smell to a dead skunk putrefying under the house
Synonyms of putrefy

break down, corrupt, decay, decompose, disintegrate, fester, foul, mold, molder, perish [chiefly British], rot, spoil
Words Related to putrefy

sour, turn, turn off [British]

contaminate, defile, pollute, taint

addle, curdle, ferment

mortify

rust

crumble, decline, degenerate, descend, deteriorate, dilapidate, sink, wither
Phrases Synonymous with putrefy

fall apart, go to seed (or run to seed)
Near Antonyms of putrefy

age, develop, grow, mature, ripen

refresh, renew, restore

cleanse, purify

assemble, compose, integrate

ameliorate, better, improve, meliorate

Synonym Discussion of putrefy

decay, decompose, rot, putrefy, spoil mean to undergo destructive dissolution. decay implies a slow change from a state of soundness or perfection.
    • a decaying mansion
decompose stresses a breaking down by chemical change and when applied to organic matter a corruption.
    • the strong odor of decomposing vegetation
rot is a close synonym of decompose and often connotes foulness.
    • fruit was left to rot in warehouses
putrefy implies the rotting of animal matter and offensiveness to sight and smell.
    • corpses putrefying on the battlefield
spoil applies chiefly to the decomposition of foods.
    • keep the ham from spoiling

Learn More about putrefy

  1. See words that rhyme with putrefy Dictionary: Definition of putrefy Medical Dictionary: Definition of putrefy Spanish Central: Translation of putrefy Nglish: Translation of putrefy for Spanish speakers

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