as in rotted
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Dissimilar Words
as in decay
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
1
as in deteriorating
to become worse or of less value
the house slowly fell into disrepair and rotted
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in decomposing
to go through decomposition
rotting vegetation on the bank of the river
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of rotting
Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 3 Feb. 2026
The conservancy's plan to shoot the deer from the air, using helicopters, was shut down in 2024 after residents voiced concerns of bullets raining down and rotting deer carcasses that would be left behind.
—Julie Sharp, CBS News, 2 Feb. 2026
The water was yellow and smelled like rotting eggs.
—Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 1 Feb. 2026
Even collapse felt easier in motion than rotting in that cabin.
—Nick Dothée, Los Angeles Times, 30 Jan. 2026
Stout was a legendary gardener whose only garden input other than water was rotting hay.
—Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 24 Jan. 2026
Hasbro adopted a plastic spud after new government regulations prevented certain toys from having pointed sharp edges, as well as complaints about children playing with rotting vegetables.
—Kimberlee Kruesi, Fortune, 22 Jan. 2026
Listeria monocytogenes, more commonly known as listeria, is a disease-causing bacteria that can be found in soil, water, sewage, rotting vegetation and animals, according to the USDA.
—Greta Cross, USA Today, 19 Jan. 2026
The city’s colorful outdoor food markets lay abandoned—the usual smell of ripe papaya replaced by the stench of yesterday’s scraps, rotting in the heat.
—Armando Ledezma, New Yorker, 14 Jan. 2026
Verb
The fruit can have a little give, but a very soft lemon is overripe or rotting.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 3 Feb. 2026
The conservancy's plan to shoot the deer from the air, using helicopters, was shut down in 2024 after residents voiced concerns of bullets raining down and rotting deer carcasses that would be left behind.
—Julie Sharp, CBS News, 2 Feb. 2026
The water was yellow and smelled like rotting eggs.
—Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 1 Feb. 2026
Even collapse felt easier in motion than rotting in that cabin.
—Nick Dothée, Los Angeles Times, 30 Jan. 2026
Stout was a legendary gardener whose only garden input other than water was rotting hay.
—Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 24 Jan. 2026
Hasbro adopted a plastic spud after new government regulations prevented certain toys from having pointed sharp edges, as well as complaints about children playing with rotting vegetables.
—Kimberlee Kruesi, Fortune, 22 Jan. 2026
Listeria monocytogenes, more commonly known as listeria, is a disease-causing bacteria that can be found in soil, water, sewage, rotting vegetation and animals, according to the USDA.
—Greta Cross, USA Today, 19 Jan. 2026
The city’s colorful outdoor food markets lay abandoned—the usual smell of ripe papaya replaced by the stench of yesterday’s scraps, rotting in the heat.
—Armando Ledezma, New Yorker, 14 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rotting
Adjective
-
Many grapes become too rotted and are left to wither away.—
John Mariani,
Forbes.com,
23 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The most visible sign of this decay is the toxic white foam that now coats the surface, a thick layer of sewage and industrial waste that has formed over sections of the river.—
Rhea Mogul,
CNN Money,
1 Feb. 2026
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Infrastructure decay is perhaps the most visible symptom.—
Israel Melendez Ayala,
Time,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Another 2024 study published in Biology found that adults who did strength training had a lower biological age—suggesting that their bodies were deteriorating more slowly than is typical for their chronological age.—
Jamie Friedlander Serrano,
Time,
3 Feb. 2026
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There are five other main characters with rapidly deteriorating lives that deserve our attention, but what is a recapper to do?—
Kathleen Walsh,
Vulture,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Mulch is also readily available, provided by the tree’s own slowly decomposing leaves, which fall throughout the year since this species is evergreen.—
Joshua Siskin,
Oc Register,
31 Jan. 2026
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The following month, on April 17, 1996, two county workers stumbled across the decomposing remains of Kenneth Smith.—
Christine Pelisek,
PEOPLE,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Leveling threats of tariffs on adversaries and allies alike has been relatively easy, but the result has been a weakening of the economy and American trade ties, and a crumbling of the old global-trade system.—
David A. Graham,
The Atlantic,
28 Jan. 2026
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Additionally, decorations made of thin plastics, foam, or fabric don’t age well in hot attics, often melting, crumbling, or attracting pests.—
Mary Cornetta,
Better Homes & Gardens,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Some sources say that the need to refocus on defense investment in light of the rising tensions with Russia and worsening relations with the United States, a once-key ally, are forcing the UK government to slash budgets.—
Tereza Pultarova,
Space.com,
6 Feb. 2026
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Several Maryland school systems announced early dismissals Friday as forecasters warned of worsening weather conditions later in the day.—
Todd Karpovich,
Baltimore Sun,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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RTGs transform the heat from decaying matter into electrical power for spacecraft.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
4 Feb. 2026
-
That decaying wood can enrich the soil of a brand-new flower bed.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
31 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Some are sandy; others are rich in organic matter formed from centuries of decayed plants.—
Dinesh Phuyal,
The Conversation,
26 Jan. 2026
-
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
Cite this Entry
“Rotting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rotting. Accessed 8 Feb. 2026.
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