1
as in spoiled
having undergone organic breakdown
rotten, smelly meat that should have been thrown out
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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
In two particularly egregious examples involving baby products described to CNBC, Amazon sent customers used diapers and a chiller with someone else’s rotten breastmilk inside.
—
Katie Tarasov, CNBC, 21 June 2025
On scorching days when winds blow across the California desert, the Salton Sea regularly gives off a stench of decay resembling rotten eggs.
—Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 10 June 2025
Not only was President Joe Biden in serious decline, Karine Jean-Pierre — celebrated in numerous fawning media profiles — was a rotten White House press secretary.
—Rich Lowry, National Review, 6 June 2025
This coordinated reaction suggests the hungry nematodes may be joining together to easily hitch a ride on larger animals such as insects that transport them to (not so) greener pastures with more rotten fruit to feast on, Perez said.
—Kameryn Griesser, CNN Money, 5 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for rotten
Katie Tarasov, CNBC, 21 June 2025
On scorching days when winds blow across the California desert, the Salton Sea regularly gives off a stench of decay resembling rotten eggs.
—Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 10 June 2025
Not only was President Joe Biden in serious decline, Karine Jean-Pierre — celebrated in numerous fawning media profiles — was a rotten White House press secretary.
—Rich Lowry, National Review, 6 June 2025
This coordinated reaction suggests the hungry nematodes may be joining together to easily hitch a ride on larger animals such as insects that transport them to (not so) greener pastures with more rotten fruit to feast on, Perez said.
—Kameryn Griesser, CNN Money, 5 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for rotten
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rotten
Adjective
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After an early tutorial sequence where players learn the ropes of controlling the powerful yet agile ape, the story introduces its antagonists: Void Company, an evil corporate mining operation hell-bent on creating a golden banana monopoly.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
1 July 2025
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They weren’t built by the government, but rather by those evil greedy private corporations and individuals who are guilty of the heinous crime of providing millions of Americans with places to live.—
The Editors,
National Review,
30 June 2025
Adjective
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But many of the Blues’ outings have been unpleasant because of high temperatures and storms, and six games across the tournament have been paused for poor weather conditions, angering manager Enzo Maresca.—
Dan Bernstein,
Sportico.com,
8 July 2025
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My other wildlife standoff involved a much cuter animal, but potentially far more unpleasant.—
Ernie Cowan,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
6 July 2025
Adjective
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To be able to say that so many writers have been meaningful to you is not a horrible thing.—
John Warner,
Chicago Tribune,
28 June 2025
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If Flagg develops into the human triple double who leads the team to the Western Conference Finals and NBA Finals in his first six years, the trade can be called not a horrible deal.—
Mac Engel,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
26 June 2025
Adjective
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In Miami’s poorer communities, such as Allapattah and Liberty City, a helicopter inspection suggested extensive roof damage to homes, businesses and churches.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
11 July 2025
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With poor finances, car and home loans will likely be rejected and life decisions like starting a family or getting married could be delayed significantly.—
Suzanne Blake,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 July 2025
Adjective
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The Mann Act, also known as the White-Slave Traffic Act of 1910, is a federal law that prohibits the interstate or foreign transportation of individuals for prostitution or other immoral activities.—
KiMi Robinson,
USA Today,
3 July 2025
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Swaggart, in July 1986, had accused a megachurch rival, New Orleans First Assembly of God Pastor Marvin Gorman, of committing immoral acts with a number of women over a period of years.—
Frank E. Lockwood,
Arkansas Online,
1 July 2025
Adjective
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Don’t want to suggest that time is slow or that time is bad which might make people dislike time and, by association, the watch. 00:00:34: Not good. 00:00:36: Re: when the actor raises the drink to his mouth.—
Seth Reiss,
New Yorker,
10 July 2025
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Tom threw batting practice to Jackson, took Ethan down in the garage to vent and hit soft toss after a bad day at school.—
Cody Stavenhagen,
New York Times,
10 July 2025
Adjective
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Vegas bounced back from a terrible loss to the Fever with an 86-68 win over the Sun on Sunday.—
Kilty Cleary,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 July 2025
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And because of that, it’s shielded us from the terrible things that happen downstream in the supply chain.—
Alexandra Harrell,
Sourcing Journal,
8 July 2025
Adjective
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Shop the Asus Vivobook Go 15.6-Inch FHD Slim Laptop, which is marked down to its cheapest price of the year.—
Clara McMahon,
People.com,
8 July 2025
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With a price tag of $99.99, the half-size bottles weren’t exactly cheap by the ounce—but that didn’t prevent stocks from selling out fast, spurred by excellent word of mouth.—
David Thomas Tao,
Forbes.com,
8 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rotten.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rotten. Accessed 16 Jul. 2025.
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