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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of rotten
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
That means there will be 25.4 million more rotten teeth in the mouths of children and teenagers.
—Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 30 May 2025
However, compost can start to smell like rotten eggs, ammonia, or worse if the composting process goes awry or the compost pile has become imbalanced in some way.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 May 2025
There are two types of repellents: Taste, which often contains capsaicin and requires the animal to take a nibble; and odor, which is sulfur-based and smells like rotten eggs.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 10 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for rotten
Kameryn Griesser, CNN Money, 5 June 2025
That means there will be 25.4 million more rotten teeth in the mouths of children and teenagers.
—Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 30 May 2025
However, compost can start to smell like rotten eggs, ammonia, or worse if the composting process goes awry or the compost pile has become imbalanced in some way.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 May 2025
There are two types of repellents: Taste, which often contains capsaicin and requires the animal to take a nibble; and odor, which is sulfur-based and smells like rotten eggs.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 10 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for rotten
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rotten
Adjective
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Unfortunately, those lofty first-act ambitions give way to something much more formulaic, as Buzz joins forces with the usual ragtag bunch of misfits to battle the evil Emperor Zurg.—
Richard Edwards,
Space.com,
20 June 2025
-
In Twin Peaks, Deputy Chief Hawk and Sheriff Frank Truman—filling in for ailing brother Frank—work on following a lead phoned in by an ailing Log Lady, while Richard Horne, son of Audrey Horne and Cooper’s evil double, spiraling into depravity and addiction, kills a child in a hit-and-run.—
Samantha Bergeson,
IndieWire,
20 June 2025
Adjective
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There are some cool moments here, but the overall effect is unpleasant.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2025
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People did not bathe much in those days and by spreading herbs that released pleasant aromas when walked upon, unpleasant odors could be disguised.—
Joshua Siskin,
Oc Register,
12 June 2025
Adjective
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And in addition to the swing itself, his overall approach at the plate has always been horrible.—
Tim Britton,
New York Times,
19 June 2025
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With guidance from Benny’s older sister and her campus-legend boyfriend, Benny and Carmen juggle horrible hookups, flavored vodka, and fake IDs.—
Peter White,
Deadline,
16 June 2025
Adjective
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In past decades, this stage was easy to spot: clashing colors, poor makeup attempts, and wardrobes inspired by favorite TV stars.—
Dia Gallo,
Parents,
17 June 2025
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Due to poor cell reception in the area, 911 calls kept dropping as witnesses scrambled to reach first responders.—
Julia Bonavita,
FOXNews.com,
17 June 2025
Adjective
-
In the age of print, Hamburg was the birthplace of magazine publishing, and Paris the birthplace of the literary review and the gossip rag; but restless, immoral London was where the advice column first transformed people’s private lives into object lessons for ethical behavior.—
Merve Emre,
New Yorker,
16 June 2025
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The film gathers immoral cops, ruthless women and corrupt politicians to complete the world of populist cinema based in hinterlands of India.—
Sweta Kaushal,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2025
Adjective
-
By the nineteen-sixties, the hibakusha identity was established enough, and the condition of Korean survivors bad enough, that a transnational movement started to take shape.—
E. Tammy Kim,
New Yorker,
16 June 2025
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Hatton was talking with reporters, bemoaning a bad break on the 17th ended his chances of winning.—
Doug Ferguson,
Los Angeles Times,
16 June 2025
Adjective
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And these are the same Oilers who, after a terrible 6-1 loss in Game 3 to the Panthers, overcame a three-goal deficit in Game 4 to even the series.—
Daniel Nugent-Bowman,
New York Times,
15 June 2025
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Outside of getting to play a grand slam event in his backyard, Thomas has been downright terrible in the sport's four biggest tournaments.—
Gerrit Ritt,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 June 2025
Adjective
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This means some fans will be watching Messi for as little as $4, which is a far cry from the cheapest seats being cast at $349 when the draw was made in December.—
Adam Crafton,
New York Times,
14 June 2025
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The funding was meant to put the US in a position to compete with Chinese automakers, who have developed cheap and effective EVs that have piqued interest among car buyers around the world.—
Aarian Marshall,
Wired News,
13 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rotten.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rotten. Accessed 29 Jun. 2025.
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