rot 1 of 2

1
2
as in decomposition
the process by which dead organic matter separates into simpler substances the rot begins shortly after the fish are killed

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

rot

2 of 2

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
Mantle doesn’t replicate his viral-feeling imagery from the original, choosing instead to use that digi-visual template as a foundation for presenting a world trying put itself back together around the remaining patches of rot. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 18 June 2025 But the rot was there all along — buried beneath years of brand-building, PR campaigns, industry awards and glossy features. Rob Shuter, HollywoodReporter, 18 June 2025
Verb
Gutters provide easy access to your home, and clogs can create moisture that leads to rotting wood that termites like. Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 27 June 2025 Another patient, a teenager who hadn’t seen a dentist in two years, came in for a checkup with four rotting molars and a painful abscess. Samantha Korn, Sun Sentinel, 24 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for rot
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rot
Noun
  • Use it to find and retrieve stray nuts or bolts in any crevice.
    Nora Colomer, FOXNews.com, 30 Mar. 2025
  • Vegetables like broccoli, tomatoes, mushrooms, onions, kale and asparagus are also included in most low-carb diets—as are eggs, cheese, Greek yogurt and nuts like walnuts, peanuts, macadamia nuts and pistachios.
    Daryl Austin, USA Today, 29 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • The Astros traded Pressly as a pure salary dump, influenced in part by his deteriorating relationship with general manager Dana Brown.
    Chandler Rome, New York Times, 28 June 2025
  • Kenya’s deteriorating economy — youth unemployment stands at 67% — has turned the country into a tinderbox: Yesterday’s protests were preceded by violent demonstrations against the killing of a blogger while in police custody, leaving many seeking answers.
    Ben Smith, semafor.com, 27 June 2025
Verb
  • However, when viruses were exposed to sunlight, many of them did not survive as long, decaying in under 24 hours.
    Jack Knudson, Discover Magazine, 13 Mar. 2025
  • The result was not only environmental catastrophe but license for unchecked consumption of cheap plastic goods that can take a few minutes to use but hundreds of years to decay.
    Scott W. Stern, The Atlantic, 10 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Wasps are also scavengers, and they can often be found flying around garbage bins looking for their next meal.
    Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 5 July 2025
  • Folsom 4th of July garbage schedule For those living in Folsom, trash and waste pickup will continue as scheduled, according to the city’s website.
    Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado Updated July 2, Sacbee.com, 2 July 2025
Verb
  • Top each bowl with fresh cilantro, lime juice, and crumbled Cotija cheese.
    Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 June 2025
  • The San Francisco company’s shares took a dive Monday after its partnership with Novo Nordisk crumbled.
    Queenie Wong, Los Angeles Times, 28 June 2025
Verb
  • Read Next National Son arrested two decades after dad found decomposing in NH home, officials say June 18, 2025 12:40 PM Read Next National 75-year-old found dead during welfare check, Delaware troopers say.
    Jennifer Rodriguez, Sacbee.com, 19 June 2025
  • Then there was the time in 1986 when vandals broke into a crypt and stole the decomposing head of a woman, which was found under a car outside the grounds.
    Pat Saperstein, Variety, 13 June 2025
Noun
  • All of this exploring and staying open and slow-burn nonsense left us with half the villa coupled up but stagnant — unwilling to stray but unwilling to grow — and the other half hopelessly single.
    Kathleen Walsh, Vulture, 25 June 2025
  • Despite the great Roger Ebert’s own glowing review, many of his contemporaries couldn’t all see of its greatness, with many dismissing it as nonsense or mere shock entertainment.
    Mark Hughes, Forbes.com, 21 June 2025
Verb
  • This can lead to more frequent awakenings, shallower sleep and worsened airway instability, resulting in more apnea events.
    Matthew Glasser, ABC News, 30 June 2025
  • Sweden reintroduced a gender-neutral draft in 2017 citing worsening security conditions, while Norway became the first NATO country to implement gender-equal conscription in 2013.
    Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Rot.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rot. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.

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