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rot

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verb

Synonym Chooser

How is the word rot different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of rot are decay, decompose, putrefy, and spoil. While all these words mean "to undergo destructive dissolution," rot is a close synonym of decompose and often connotes foulness.

fruit was left to rot in warehouses

Where would decay be a reasonable alternative to rot?

The words decay and rot are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, decay implies a slow change from a state of soundness or perfection.

a decaying mansion

When can decompose be used instead of rot?

The words decompose and rot can be used in similar contexts, but decompose stresses a breaking down by chemical change and when applied to organic matter a corruption.

the strong odor of decomposing vegetation

When would putrefy be a good substitute for rot?

While in some cases nearly identical to rot, putrefy implies the rotting of animal matter and offensiveness to sight and smell.

corpses putrefying on the battlefield

In what contexts can spoil take the place of rot?

While the synonyms spoil and rot are close in meaning, spoil applies chiefly to the decomposition of foods.

keep the ham from spoiling

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 rot
Noun
If your orchid has visible signs of rot, pruning to remove diseased parts can be done at any time. Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 19 Oct. 2025 The posts from my friends and family are still there, but they are absorbed into the flow of brain rot and advertising. Julie Beck, The Atlantic, 16 Oct. 2025
Verb
Churches, libraries, and houses stand splintered and rotting next to posh tourist resorts, the aftermath of 2017’s Hurricane Maria. Brenna Ehrlich, Rolling Stone, 26 Oct. 2025 The Courier Journal reported several unsightly discoveries in the Falls of the Ohio area, including a truckload of dead sheep left to rot. Leo Bertucci, Louisville Courier Journal, 25 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for rot
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rot
Noun
  • One officer allegedly found garbage bags inside a large freezer that were later determined to contain the remains of a female, the station reported.
    Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 3 Nov. 2025
  • Milivojevic, meanwhile, has benefited with garbage-time appearances over the last four games, putting up three touchdowns and zero interceptions in the process.
    Christian Romo, Freep.com, 29 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Based on the level of decomposition, officials estimated she had been dumped from the overpass at least a month earlier, according to the release.
    Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 29 Oct. 2025
  • Before storing the bodies in the crawl space, Gacy used lime to hasten the bodies' decomposition.
    Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 20 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Residents should also remain alert to rapidly changing forecasts, as conditions may deteriorate quickly.
    Amanda Greenwood, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2025
  • Grace appears dazed when others pick up on her ache, and takes a perverse pleasure in Jackson’s struggle to deal with her deteriorating mental health.
    Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 6 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • The leather on the shoes appears to be slightly decayed, worn, cracked and brittle, while the laces and midsole are stained, giving a distressed, lived-in effect.
    Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 27 Oct. 2025
  • This approach blends technical discipline, probabilistic pricing and time decay into a cohesive framework.
    Michael Khouw, CNBC, 27 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • In a recording shared by his family, Dailey recounted driving his 2002 silver Dodge Dakota up the Swamp Lake Trail, reaching the top safely and stopping to snack on some jerky and a handful of nuts, ABC News reported.
    Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 5 Nov. 2025
  • The crew can now prepare ingredients like nuts, cakes, and fresh vegetables using the oven and other cooking tools.
    Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 4 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • But when her husband told her that his father would inherit everything, her sense of security began to crumble.
    Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 2 Nov. 2025
  • Vilgefortz, true to form, begins by leading a squadron that blasts magic so aggressively at the fortress that some of them crumble into bones on the spot.
    Scott Meslow, Vulture, 30 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Forensic entomology −the study of insects and arthropods on decomposing bodies − is crucial in homicide and death investigations, Musah told USA TODAY.
    Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 29 Oct. 2025
  • The round spots seemed neat compared with their surroundings, clear of the layers of decomposing plankton spotted elsewhere on the seafloor.
    Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 29 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The other side in a debate with common sense is nonsense.
    Danielle Kurtzleben, NPR, 22 Oct. 2025
  • That kind of no-nonsense mentality cuts right through all the nonsense and puts the focus on the work.
    Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 21 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Rot.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rot. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.

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