1
as in garbage
language, behavior, or ideas that are absurd and contrary to good sense
I won't stand here and listen to such rot
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in decomposition
the process by which dead organic matter separates into simpler substances
the rot begins shortly after the fish are killed
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to deteriorate
to become worse or of less value
the house slowly fell into disrepair and rotted
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to decay
to go through decomposition
rotting vegetation on the bank of the river
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of rot
Literary Hub, 27 Jan. 2026
One of Wallace’s driving anxieties, a black thread running through this novel, was that television addiction (including his own) was inducing brain rot, social atomization, and spiritual death.
—Hermione Hoby, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026
Julie Sharp, CBS News, 2 Feb. 2026
The water was yellow and smelled like rotting eggs.
—Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 1 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rot
Noun
In a world of excess and power and all their rot, what besides love forces us to be pure?
—Literary Hub, 27 Jan. 2026
One of Wallace’s driving anxieties, a black thread running through this novel, was that television addiction (including his own) was inducing brain rot, social atomization, and spiritual death.
—Hermione Hoby, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026
Verb
The conservancy's plan to shoot the deer from the air, using helicopters, was shut down in 2024 after residents voiced concerns of bullets raining down and rotting deer carcasses that would be left behind.
—Julie Sharp, CBS News, 2 Feb. 2026
The water was yellow and smelled like rotting eggs.
—Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 1 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rot
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rot
Noun
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And the magic elixir is able to turn garbage into Jan Ravnik, Swift's pinup backup dancer.—
Bryan West,
USA Today,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Every winter, construction machines work around the clock to clear tons of garbage — plastic, furniture, medical waste — clogging the Drina River.—
Eldar Emric,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The team is using a process called thermal decomposition to unlock the chemical secrets of neptunium.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
4 Feb. 2026
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Slower decomposition of food scraps can attract rodents and other unwanted critters.—
Barbara Gillette,
The Spruce,
1 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Because of deteriorating conditions, operations were transitioned to a defensive strategy, Marceau said.—
Jalen Williams,
Freep.com,
5 Feb. 2026
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Working conditions, meanwhile, have continued to deteriorate as the demands on workers increase.—
Sam Tabachnik,
Denver Post,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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About 10 percent of the county’s waste is green material, which includes decaying trees and invasive plants.—
Ashley Miznazi,
Miami Herald,
7 Feb. 2026
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Not only does topping a crape myrtle turn it into an eyesore, but these brutal pruning cuts can cause disease and decay to set into the wood.—
Leanne Potts,
Better Homes & Gardens,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The Mediterranean diet has nuts, beans and fish as primary sources of protein, and MyPlate focuses on lean meats as well.—
Madeline Holcombe,
CNN Money,
9 Feb. 2026
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Avoid allergens While most multivitamin companies avoid using common allergens like soy, nuts and dairy, some share production facilities.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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But empires fall, and dynasties crumble.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
8 Feb. 2026
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Harkening back to the out-of-this-world aesthetics that won them broad acclaim for Poor Things, the commercial opens on a crumbling modernist edifice on a rocky outcrop in a stormy ocean.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
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This creates 22,000 metric tons of waste that can take up to 120 years to decompose, making these bulky items one of the most difficult and persistent challenges in modern recycling.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Feb. 2026
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His work on Prototaxites fossils has shown that the ancient organisms didn’t use photosynthesis to produce energy from light like plants, but likely consumed carbon sources in the environment — just as some living fungi live off decomposing organic matter.—
Katie Hunt,
CNN Money,
5 Feb. 2026
Noun
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No gimmicks, no nonsense, straight shooter, the woman who gets things done.—
Seema Mehta,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Feb. 2026
-
This was the nonsense that was going on here last week, just like every week.—
Howie Carr,
Boston Herald,
1 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rot.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rot. Accessed 13 Feb. 2026.
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