putrefying 1 of 2

adjective

as in rotting

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putrefying

2 of 2

verb

present participle of putrefy
as in decomposing
to go through decomposition we traced the bad smell to a dead skunk putrefying under the house

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 putrefying
Verb
East of Eden is a tome obsessed with guilt, sin, ambition, race, the land as healing and capitalism as putrefying, the nature of fate and the question of free will, and the role money and inheritance play in either our corruption or our cleansing. — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2026 Because lose-lose situations are so endemic to the genre, a hint of relief can sometimes accompany the prospect of surrender to the putrefying mob. — Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 9 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for putrefying
  1. putrescent
  2. decomposing
  3. decaying
  4. rotting
  5. moldy
  6. disintegrating
  7. corroded
Adjective
  • This putrescent combination of sky-high home prices, rising mortgage rates and stifling consumer inflation have forced all but the wealthiest or most determined buyers out of a new home.
    — Q.ai - Powering a Personal Wealth Movement, Forbes, 17 Aug. 2022
Definition of putrescent
Verb
  • Even poor Maggie the cat — the only living animal in Digger’s house and possibly one of the last living animals in the world — is decomposing in his arms, his sister (Sandra Hüller) says with a shudder.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Her decomposing body was found in a plastic bin more than a year after death.
    — Ginny Monk, Hartford Courant, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of decomposing
Adjective
  • Liberal critics, however, argued—also rightly—that the Soviet Union was a decaying, economically crippled giant by the time Reagan was inaugurated.
    — Tom Nichols, The Atlantic, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The district also could be in for other major changes in the coming years, including the opening of a few new schools to replace multiple decaying, underenrolled schools.
    — Scott Travis, Miami Herald, 15 May 2026
Definition of decaying
Verb
  • In the weeks after, more than 85 million pounds of rotting food being kept at the cold storage facility began to rot, leaving a putrid stench lingering over the area that led to infestations of rats, flies and other rodents.
    — Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 29 Sep. 2026
  • The fire’s aftermath was just as bad, with cleanup crews having to contend with removing 89 million pounds of thawing, rotting meat, debris and other material.
    — Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of rotting
Adjective
  • Once one slice is moldy, the rest of the loaf, and potentially anything nearby, is exposed.
    — Bridget Shirvell, Martha Stewart, 23 Sep. 2026
  • Key Takeaways Fresh ginger should feel firm, with plump knobs and taut skin, while soft or moldy pieces should be avoided.
    — Kathleen Ferraro, Verywell Health, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of moldy
Verb
  • Scott’s face, in this shot, is a whole novel, disintegrating into tears before being shored up again, eventually rearranged into something resembling a welcoming smile that teeters on the edge of collapse.
    — Alison Willmore, Vulture, 15 Sep. 2026
  • The 110-floor south tower, struck shortly after the north tower by another plane, was disintegrating.
    — Diane Herbst, PEOPLE, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of disintegrating
Adjective
  • And no amount of paint can fix an unstable, corroded piece of furniture.
    — Felicia Feaster, Martha Stewart, 27 Sep. 2026
  • After 50,000 drops, the corroded patch was over a millimeter across.
    — Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of corroded

Browse Nearby Words

putrefy
putrefying
putrescence
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Cite this Entry

“Putrefying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/putrefying. Accessed 5 Oct. 2026.

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