rotted 1 of 2

rotted

2 of 2

verb

past tense of rot

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 rotted
Adjective
Inspect fences and perform any repairs or maintenance, such as reinforcing posts or replacing rotted sections. Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 8 June 2026 Many grapes become too rotted and are left to wither away. John Mariani, Forbes.com, 23 Jan. 2026
Verb
So much of it has degraded—tapes rotted to spooky fuzz, videos with shaggy images and too‑white faces. Literary Hub, 27 Aug. 2026 By this point the food in her fridge rotted and her basement flooded. Rebecca Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 20 Aug. 2026 In the process, Ownbey discovered support timbers had rotted away, forcing him to bring entire walls to his workshop for meticulous reconstruction. Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 19 Aug. 2026 The missing 14-year-old’s body rotted for weeks until it was found in the trunk of a Tesla at a Hollywood tow yard last September, severed at the limbs and stuffed into black plastic bags, according to medical examiner’s records and court filings. Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 21 July 2026 While the timber has long since rotted away, the posts lined up to point directly at the rising sun during the summer solstice and the setting sun at the winter solstice — in the same way as Stonehenge. Elmira Aliieva, NBC news, 18 June 2026 Now the pages are yellowed; the rubber band rotted away years ago. Peter Hessler, New Yorker, 31 May 2026 That last line is a nod for the brain-rotted among us. Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 28 Apr. 2026 Conley could’ve rotted away in Chicago. Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 16 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rotted
Adjective
  • The soil should be moist, faintly acid smelling, from its infusion of decayed compost.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Rossi treated the paint surface, meanwhile, by removing oxidized varnish, decayed retouching, and incoherent integrations and additions, allowing viewers to appreciate the luminosity of Fra Angelico’s palette and the precision of his gilding.
    Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 5 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • But several of them moving in the same direction tell me that the quality of the rally has deteriorated.
    Thomas Hartmann, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2026
  • As the stalemate between the city and Angels owner Arte Moreno grew more entrenched, the condition of Angel Stadium deteriorated.
    Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • The body itself was badly decomposed after spending an unknown amount of time exposed to the elements, with animals, bugs and rain, plus 50 years in storage.
    Taylor Romine, CNN Money, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Determining the causes of death was complicated by how decomposed the bodies were, the medical examiner’s office said.
    Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 25 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • Being pelted on the world’s stage with the modern equivalent of rotten tomatoes – memes and scathing online posts – hasn't kept the dancer, born Rachael Gunn, from laughing.
    Erin Jensen, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026
  • His last Netflix partnership, the miniseries Zero Day, put up rotten scores.
    Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Wednesday’s ugly loss, in which Yoshinobu Yamamoto faltered after a strong start and the Dodgers crumbled late despite taking a 3-0 first-inning lead, was the latest example.
    Joaquin Ruiz, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026
  • More than 3,000 people are still missing across both countries, as complex search efforts continue in remote areas where roads and other infrastructure has crumbled.
    Bhadra Sharma, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • After a 2025 season in which their offensive line disintegrated before their eyes, the Chargers had every reason to believe this would be a bounce-back year.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2026
  • The house was the only one that was still standing; all the others have disintegrated into abstract shapes.
    Alex Jovanovich, Artforum, 1 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • Liberal critics, however, argued—also rightly—that the Soviet Union was a decaying, economically crippled giant by the time Reagan was inaugurated.
    Tom Nichols, The Atlantic, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The district also could be in for other major changes in the coming years, including the opening of a few new schools to replace multiple decaying, underenrolled schools.
    Scott Travis, Miami Herald, 15 May 2026
Verb
  • Not long afterward, two dozen Border Patrol agents descended on Roosevelt High School as class was getting out, prompting a confrontation in which the agents deployed pepper spray and arrested four people, including a teacher.
    Emily Witt, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
  • This year, more than 4,200 shows descended on Edinburgh, with artists hailing from 74 countries.
    Rebecca Rosman, NPR, 31 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Rotted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rotted. Accessed 8 Sep. 2026.

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