1
as in spoiled
having undergone organic breakdown
rotten, smelly meat that should have been thrown out
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in evil
not conforming to a high moral standard; morally unacceptable
played a rotten trick and then lied about it
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in unpleasant
not giving pleasure to the mind or senses
had a rotten time while on vacation
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4
as in horrible
extremely unsatisfactory
rotten housing conditions that no one should be forced to tolerate
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5
as in poor
of low quality
I can't do anything with these rotten tools
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of rotten
The justification that one was merely following orders has always looked rotten in hindsight.
—
Robert Kesten, The Orlando Sentinel, 16 Aug. 2025
But the sheer number of horrible storylines and moments in its second season suggests something uniquely rotten at the show’s core.
—Judy Berman, Time, 13 Aug. 2025
So Trump’s rotten character is now a problem for our whole economy.
—Thomas L. Friedman, Mercury News, 7 Aug. 2025
Tamra replies, which is kind of like comparing rotten apples with moldy oranges, but fine, logic is not required here.
—Peter Larsen, Oc Register, 1 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rotten
Robert Kesten, The Orlando Sentinel, 16 Aug. 2025
But the sheer number of horrible storylines and moments in its second season suggests something uniquely rotten at the show’s core.
—Judy Berman, Time, 13 Aug. 2025
So Trump’s rotten character is now a problem for our whole economy.
—Thomas L. Friedman, Mercury News, 7 Aug. 2025
Tamra replies, which is kind of like comparing rotten apples with moldy oranges, but fine, logic is not required here.
—Peter Larsen, Oc Register, 1 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rotten
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rotten
Adjective
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The first season concludes with patriarch Horace Bellaire marrying Kimmie from his hospital bed, leaving her his inheritance and shocking his spoiled heirs.—
Monica Mercuri,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
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Kayla Blanton is a freelance lifestyle writer, editor, and reviewer of seven years and a proud cat mom to three very spoiled rescues.—
Kayla Blanton,
PEOPLE,
7 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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When her mother leaves the room for a moment, she's accosted by a demonic entity that toys with her through funhouse-style reflections, creating this evil doppelganger of Judy.—
Nick Romano,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Sep. 2025
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The city has been taken over by a bunch of evil gangs and so the nerdy Scott Pilgrim and his pals, including Ramona Flowers and Lucas Lee come to the rescue.—
Joshua Lamb,
Forbes.com,
6 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Increase your fiber intake slowly and drink plenty of water to reduce unpleasant side effects like cramping and bloating.—
Courtney Southwick,
Health,
8 Sep. 2025
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Any unpleasant government decision—such as the August order blocking voice calls on WhatsApp and Telegram, on the pretext of preventing scams and terrorist activity—tends to be perceived mostly with passive discontent and immediate adaptation with the search for alternative practical solutions.—
ANDREI KOLESNIKOV,
Foreign Affairs,
8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The horrible accident — later determined to be caused by pilot error — remains the deadliest plane crash in Charlotte history.—
Scott Fowler,
Charlotte Observer,
10 Sep. 2025
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But then came a horrible deep-ball attempt intended for Stefon Diggs that Isaiah Pola-Mao intercepted.—
Steve Buckley,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Cutting carbs entirely can raise the risk of cholesterol, kidney stones, poor bone health, gut problems, and even cancer, added Stefanki.—
Caitlin Pagán,
Verywell Health,
11 Sep. 2025
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Before Wednesday’s game, people within the organization were optimistic about Helsley putting his tipping problem and overall poor pitching behind him, pointing to a clean inning Monday.—
Will Sammon,
New York Times,
11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Of the 20 dead cats, eight were too decayed for a necropsy exam, which determines the cause of death of a dead animal and any associated diseases or injuries.—
Marina Johnson,
Louisville Courier Journal,
7 Aug. 2025
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The breakthrough came when researchers focused on coelomic fluid, the internal liquid surrounding the sea stars’ organs, rather than tissue from decayed specimens.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
4 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Ladapo said the decision was not reached according to the data, but instead on his view that vaccine mandates are immoral and outside the scope of the government’s authority.—
Sarah Fortinsky,
The Hill,
7 Sep. 2025
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Even the paper’s biggest triumph—which, without giving too much away, brings it into direct conflict with its toilet-paper stablemate—involves a farcically immoral compromise that tramples the church-state divide between news and product sales (and, worse, isn’t all that funny).—
Jon Allsop,
New Yorker,
5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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This was a classic Smith performance with tons of yardage and some risky throws with both good and bad results.—
Mike Sando,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
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You were called something much worse, and [it was] accepted.—
Brenton Blanchet,
PEOPLE,
8 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rotten.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rotten. Accessed 12 Sep. 2025.
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