rots

verb

present tense third-person singular of rot
1
as in deteriorates
to become worse or of less value the house slowly fell into disrepair and rotted

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in decomposes
to go through decomposition rotting vegetation on the bank of the river

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 rots In my experience, environment, culture, clarity, psychological safety and pace determine whether talent produces or rots. — Nilton Bernini, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2026 And be prepared to top off the soil in the future as the remaining root system rots away, causing the soil to sag. — Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Sep. 2026 Messages break down, signals decay, information rots; the stuff of everyday data dystopia and media apocalypse, but in Braxton’s hands, raw material to be shaped into something recombinant and strange. — Reed Jackson, SPIN, 24 Aug. 2026 Medicine shortages have worsened and food rots in fridges without power. — Andrea Rodriguez, Fortune, 7 Aug. 2026 Parents used to tell their children that television rots the brain; now it’s considered a medium for legitimate art. — New York Times, 1 June 2026 When the seaweed rots, hydrogen sulfide gas is emitted, which smells like rotten eggs. — Doyle Rice, USA Today, 18 Apr. 2026 The big differences between the labs probably reflect the fact that, as Italians like to say, the fish rots from the head. — Caroline Mimbs Nyce, New Yorker, 10 Feb. 2026 Bacterial plant diseases include speck (a winter-surviving infection that attacks tomatoes), canker (which damages fruit trees including those producing apples and peaches), and blight (which rots melons, cucumbers, pumpkins, squash, peppers, tomatoes, eggplants, beans, and more). — New Atlas, 10 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rots
  1. deteriorates
  2. decomposes
  3. crumbles
  4. disintegrates
  5. descends
  6. decays
  7. worsens
  8. declines
Verb
  • If the unrest continues, confidence deteriorates further or market tensions intensify, growth could be even weaker.
    — Hugh Leask, CNBC, 24 Oct. 2026
  • As her brother Aldwin’s mental health deteriorates, Lil considers risking her future to travel to him.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of deteriorates
Verb
  • Remnants of a wooden spear weren’t found near the Neanderthal’s remains, which is understandable since the material often decomposes so quickly.
    — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Named for the Frenchman Joseph Fourier, the Fourier transform decomposes any function into a set of simple waves, each with a different frequency, or tone.
    — Shalma Wegsman, Quanta Magazine, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of decomposes
Verb
  • When new, concrete possesses a thin, temporarily protective layer that, if not maintained, will wear away, exposing the interior, which gradually crumbles.
    — Jeffrey Weiss, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026
  • The Packers’ identity is that of a team that can’t shut the door, one that crumbles when momentum turns in a hostile away environment.
    — Matt Schneidman, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of crumbles
Verb
  • Even those who can afford to stay suffer losses in home equity and lifestyle as the community around them disintegrates or disappears.
    — The Conversation, Fortune, 12 June 2026
  • None are quite about the conflicting frames of reference and value that arise when an ancient cultural formation disintegrates and a successor has yet to take its place.
    — Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 1 June 2026
Definition of disintegrates
Verb
  • As the meal goes on and Rob seems to become increasingly inebriated, the night descends into nonsensical confrontations between Rob and the bartender, Rob and producers, Rob and his brother, and, finally, Rob and Michaella.
    — Zoe Papelis, Vulture, 28 Oct. 2026
  • The rest of the film quickly descends into various levels of nightmarish weirdness.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of descends
Verb
  • By writing an out-of-the-money call and an out-of-the-money put for late October, traders can harvest the elevated premium as time value rapidly decays.
    — Michael Khouw, CNBC, 25 Sep. 2026
  • This radioisotope decays into technetium-99m, an essential diagnostic imaging agent used to detect cancer and cardiovascular disease.
    — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of decays
Verb
  • Although researchers and experts know that hormonal changes can influence how the nervous system processes pain and may heighten pain sensitivity, researchers have yet to establish whether declining estrogen directly worsens fibromyalgia.
    — Cheyenne Buckingham, Washington Post, 24 Oct. 2026
  • French bond turmoil worsens French social and political volatility is compounded by an emerging fiscal crisis, which on Thursday pushed its benchmark government borrowing cost to a fresh 24-year high.
    — Jenni Reid, CNBC, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of worsens
Verb
  • The Salt Lake County clerk requests assistance to secure the polls, but the sheriff, unsure about jurisdiction, declines.
    — Barton Gellman, New Yorker, 25 Oct. 2026
  • Steep declines across the tech space, led by Meta and the chip sector, saw Nasdaq log its worst day since June.
    — Leonie Kidd, CNBC, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of declines

Browse Nearby Words

rototills
rots
rotted
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Cite this Entry

“Rots.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rots. Accessed 31 Oct. 2026.

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