rotting 1 of 3

rotting

2 of 3

noun

rotting

3 of 3

verb

present participle of rot
1
2

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 rotting
Verb
The team aimed to fashion a rotting meat smell to recreate this slightly unhygienic oral arrangement. Rj MacKenzie, Popular Science, 11 June 2026 Sanchez said the ceiling tiles in the jail are rotting, and there are doors that don’t lock properly. Alexandra Kukulka, Chicago Tribune, 10 June 2026 As the maggots multiply, the wound becomes an open, rotting sore on the surface of the animal’s skin, sometimes attracting other fly species with the smell of rotting flesh. Evan Bush, NBC news, 7 June 2026 The insect measures just two-tenths of an inch long and nests in damp leaf litter, rotting logs and mulch, making accidental contact far more likely than with more visible species like the fire ant. Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 4 June 2026 Go through your fridge regularly to clean up spills and throw out rotting food. Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 4 June 2026 Overusing milk can create problems—excess residue can lead to sour, rotting organic matter that harms your plants and the soil. Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 31 May 2026 My rotting greens won’t save anyone. Literary Hub, 29 May 2026 Those that smell are thermogenic, meaning their spadixes generate heat that radiates their tell-tale smell through the air, attracting insects that crave rotting meat. Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 27 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rotting
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
Noun
  • The cynicism and paranoia of the '70s are ever-present, exploring America's moral decay amid troubled times.
    Eric Farwell, Entertainment Weekly, 12 June 2026
  • Pratt had relentlessly focused on homelessness, crime and decay that's marred a city otherwise known for its culinary scene, postcard scenery and a global entertainment industry.
    ABC News, ABC News, 9 June 2026
Verb
  • The track shouldn’t do that The problem was a new patch of tarmac that apparently wasn’t up to scratch and started deteriorating under the cars’ tires.
    Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 8 June 2026
  • Yet many investors and strategists say foreign selling has less to do with deteriorating fundamentals and more to do with the market's own success.
    Sean Conlon,Joseph Wilkins,Tanaya Macheel,Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 7 June 2026
Verb
  • Officials warned that decomposing fish could create potential health hazards for visitors entering the area or attempting to fish.
    Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 10 June 2026
  • That’s different from most other types of maggots, which feed on decomposing flesh.
    Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 9 June 2026
Adjective
  • 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
Noun
  • The video marked the crumbling of his alibi, legal experts told CNN at the time.
    Eric Levenson, CNN Money, 14 May 2026
  • Winter storms left its gazebo teetering, 50 feet of asphalt crumbling, and a dramatic 6 foot drop down to the sand.
    Carolyn Gusoff, CBS News, 10 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Simsbury residents have reacted with widespread opposition, largely based on concerns about overdevelopment, worsening traffic, a costly spike in school enrollments and unwelcome change to what traditionally has been a semi-rural town.
    Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 11 June 2026
  • At the same time, the National divide over slavery was worsening.
    New York Times, New York Times, 11 June 2026
Verb
  • Right now, the rings furthest from the planet are disintegrating and drifting into space.
    David M. Drucker, Twin Cities, 31 May 2026
  • The damage from our disintegrating democracy demands attention — and now.
    Elizabeth Keifer, Hartford Courant, 29 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Rotting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rotting. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.

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