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
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Recent Examples of rots
Critics have long warned that too much television rots your brain, but new evidence suggests at least some time in front of the tube may actually benefit your mental health.
—
Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 7 Jan. 2026
If Britain continues down the path of criminalizing thought and prayer, the alliance risks being reduced to polite diplomacy while its moral core rots away.
—Lois McLatchie Miller, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Aug. 2025
Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 7 Jan. 2026
If Britain continues down the path of criminalizing thought and prayer, the alliance risks being reduced to polite diplomacy while its moral core rots away.
—Lois McLatchie Miller, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rots
Verb
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The Backyard cast also features Katie MacNichol as Gladys’ daughter Ellen, Alexander Ameen as Ellen’s husband Howard, and William Huffaker as a young painter from Boston named Don Bowman whom Gladys seeks to help even as her mental state deteriorates.—
David L. Coddon,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 Nov. 2025
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As the situation deteriorates, the United Kingdom, the United States and Germany among others have urged their nationals to leave Bamako.—
Tim Lister,
CNN Money,
2 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The research team developed a route-planning system for Astrobee, the ISS’s robotic assistant, that leverages sequential convex programming—a method that decomposes complex trajectory planning into smaller, tractable steps while guaranteeing safety and feasibility.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Dec. 2025
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Shilajit is a mineral-rich resin that forms over centuries as plant material slowly decomposes under heat and pressure within the rocks of the Himalayan Mountains.—
Lindsay Curtis,
Verywell Health,
27 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Academic success means little if a child crumbles under stress.—
Dr. Mona Amin,
CNBC,
5 Dec. 2025
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Toby’s display, overall, looks a lot nicer, but when Paul goes to take a slice of his cake from the chocolate case, the whole thing crumbles to a mess.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The debris – space rocks known as meteoroids – collides with Earth's atmosphere at high speed and disintegrates, creating fiery and colorful streaks in the sky, according to NASA.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
2 Jan. 2026
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The debris — space rocks known as meteoroids — collides with Earth's atmosphere at high speed and disintegrates, creating fiery and colorful streaks in the sky, according to NASA.—
Doris Alvarez Cea,
Florida Times-Union,
2 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Carol is casually chatting with her manager and romantic partner, Helen (Miriam Shor), when the pathogen descends on everyone, creating a horrific scene of silent, seizing bodies.—
Erin Qualey,
Vulture,
7 Nov. 2025
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Regardless, this film also boasts a oner for the ages, as a raincoat mafia descends upon a rave and a pair of bloodthirsty lovers.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The most common isotope, plutonium-239, is produced when the most common isotope of uranium, uranium-238, absorbs a neutron and then quickly decays to plutonium.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
23 Oct. 2025
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The heartwood in the tree’s center decays first and makes for easy excavating.—
Madison Dapcevich,
Outside,
21 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Sam slips back into her addiction and as her alcoholism worsens, so do the visions and apparitions that seem to be haunting the forest.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 Jan. 2026
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As climate change worsens, more locations are going to become too hot for data centers.—
Devika Rao,
TheWeek,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Independent energy analyst Rachel Ziemba, who agrees major oil companies may hesitate, also notes that declines in the price of crude – the raw material for consumer products like gasoline – are often not fully passed on to consumers.—
Andrea Riquier,
USA Today,
5 Jan. 2026
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As Gustav aims to work his way back into their lives, Nora retreats into isolation as her mental health increasingly declines.—
Yamillah Hurtado,
PEOPLE,
5 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rots.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rots. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
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