as in decomposition
the process by which dead organic matter separates into simpler substances
in the far corner of the walk-in refrigerator was a crate of cucumbers in an advanced stage of putrescence
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 putrescence
In 19th-century cities, when waste disposal was a private matter and not yet a public responsibility, households lived close to their own putrescence.
—
Curbed, 12 Aug. 2022
There was no evidence to suggest the existence of four receptor classes, rather than three, or five, or ten; nor was there any serious reason to believe that acidity and goatiness—but not, say, florality or putrescence—were fundamentals of odor.
—Scott Sayare, Harper's Magazine, 23 Nov. 2021
In various states of putrescence—worms wriggling, entrails dangling—cadavers rise from their graves to join the Dance of Death.
—Felipe Fernández-Armesto, WSJ, 24 Apr. 2020
At the opposite end of spring's floral awakening lingers the rot of deciduous fall: the putrescence of stranded, spent salmon; the sweet stench of walrus or whale melting on Nome's driftwood beaches.
—Michael Engelhard, Alaska Dispatch News, 1 July 2017
Curbed, 12 Aug. 2022
There was no evidence to suggest the existence of four receptor classes, rather than three, or five, or ten; nor was there any serious reason to believe that acidity and goatiness—but not, say, florality or putrescence—were fundamentals of odor.
—Scott Sayare, Harper's Magazine, 23 Nov. 2021
In various states of putrescence—worms wriggling, entrails dangling—cadavers rise from their graves to join the Dance of Death.
—Felipe Fernández-Armesto, WSJ, 24 Apr. 2020
At the opposite end of spring's floral awakening lingers the rot of deciduous fall: the putrescence of stranded, spent salmon; the sweet stench of walrus or whale melting on Nome's driftwood beaches.
—Michael Engelhard, Alaska Dispatch News, 1 July 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for putrescence
Noun
-
Non-archaeological methods, such as DNA sequencing and computer modeling, could help track the human footprint in environments such as humid, tropical climates of Southeast Asia, where conditions accelerate the decomposition of remains.—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN Money,
11 Mar. 2026
-
For the best results, chop up the peels before composting to speed up their decomposition and help prevent pest issues.—
Michelle Mastro,
Martha Stewart,
7 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Many cracked and leaked from decades of decay, letting rain in and worsening backups that surge through maintenance hole covers, drain into city rivers and flow into basements.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
10 Mar. 2026
-
That debt has been settled in full by five decades of theocratic brutality and economic decay.—
Karim Sadjadpour,
The Atlantic,
10 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Putrescence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/putrescence. Accessed 15 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
