PUTREFYING Synonyms: 98 Similar and Opposite Words

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

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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

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

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

After receiving a complaint, police officers and a state regulator found more than 50 decomposing bodies at South Chicago Chapel in the city’s South Deering neighborhood.

— Armando L. Sanchez, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026
As excavations for the foundation got underway, bones and decomposing bodies were found, releasing a horrid odor and spreading yellow fever across the island.

— Victoria Davies, Rolling Stone, 31 Aug. 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

Adjective

The inspector reported numerous issues with food safety, including improper holding temperatures, improper thawing practices, moldy limes and unsafe storage.

— Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 Sep. 2026
Other Food Safety Risks to Know Always avoid packages with moldy berries.

— Olivia McIntosh, Martha Stewart, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of moldy

Verb

With all the rain from storms recently, our streets and roads are disintegrating faster.

— Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 23 Aug. 2026
In just four years, Keegan had spurred a disintegrating club into a united entity known for its energy and style, cherished as the ‘Entertainers’.

— Michael Walker, New York Times, 22 Aug. 2026

Definition of disintegrating

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putrefy

putrefying

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“Putrefying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/putrefying. Accessed 7 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of putrefying

adjective

verb

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