as in decomposing
to go through decomposition
we traced the bad smell to a dead skunk putrefying under the house
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in rotting
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
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
Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 9 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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
Verb
-
This prompts the straw to start decomposing, ensuring the bales won’t overheat and burn your plants later.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
1 Oct. 2025
-
Gates visited Koie’s mountainside studio in Gifu with Koie’s daughter, who shared that her father would be okay with the studio decomposing into the mountain.—
Elizabeth Cantrell,
Travel + Leisure,
26 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Garbage, rotting food with bugs and clothing stacked close to the ceiling were also seen in most areas of the house.—
Matthew Cupelli,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
4 Oct. 2025
-
Kirk Cousins is rotting on the Falcons’ bench.—
Paul Dehner Jr,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
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
-
The most common are oils (cinnamon, clove, thyme, garlic, etc.), putrescent whole egg solids, dried blood, etc.—
Kym Pokorny,
OregonLive.com,
17 Apr. 2018
Verb
-
For another, there’s the DESI data, our best large-scale structure data at present, which seems to slightly favor the presence of evolving (and, in particular, decaying or weakening) dark energy.—
Ethan Siegel,
Big Think,
3 Oct. 2025
-
As a result, when animals died and sank, their soft tissues were occasionally preserved instead of being consumed or decaying.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
29 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
But when in doubt, throw moldy cheese out.—
Abby Norman,
Verywell Health,
29 Sep. 2025
-
That brown bottle in your medicine cabinet can clean moldy bathrooms and kitchens.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
27 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The electrical grid is disintegrating, with hours-long blackouts common across the island.—
Jon Lee Anderson,
New Yorker,
29 Sep. 2025
-
It’s been ripe for restoration since the 1970s and has sat, empty and disintegrating, for most of that time.—
Christopher Bonanos,
Curbed,
24 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Those kept in the more acidic water were significantly more corroded, and had far more cracks and holes, especially at the root and tooth base.—
Lauren Leffer,
Popular Science,
27 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Putrefying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/putrefying. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share