as in rotted
Related Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 5 May 2026
Smokers who smelled a mix of cigarettes and rotting fish overnight subsequently reduced their cigarette consumption by more than thirty per cent—more than people who smelled the pairing while awake.
—Shayla Love, New Yorker, 1 May 2026
The showy blooms that cover the tree also emit a foul odor, often described as reminiscent of rotting fish.
—Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 29 Apr. 2026
That was until the FBI notified my elder son that his father lay rotting among so many others.
—Brian Sherrod, CBS News, 24 Apr. 2026
Early harvesting prevents fruit from rotting and ensures better use of your tomatoes.
—Gemma Johnstone, The Spruce, 24 Apr. 2026
Avoid storing cauliflower next to produce that produce ethylene gas (such as apples, melons, peaches, plums, pears, or mangoes), which will speed up the ripening (and eventual rotting) process.
—Heather Riske, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Apr. 2026
The car was impounded the previous week after being abandoned in the Hollywood Hills, where neighbors complained of a rotting smell.
—Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 20 Apr. 2026
In fact, many teens seem to have deep concerns over AI chatbots rotting their frontal lobes.
—Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 16 Apr. 2026
Verb
They are drawn to rotting fruits and vegetables, sugary drinks, vinegar, alcohol, damp and dirty sponges, garbage cans, and sink drains.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 5 May 2026
Smokers who smelled a mix of cigarettes and rotting fish overnight subsequently reduced their cigarette consumption by more than thirty per cent—more than people who smelled the pairing while awake.
—Shayla Love, New Yorker, 1 May 2026
The showy blooms that cover the tree also emit a foul odor, often described as reminiscent of rotting fish.
—Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 29 Apr. 2026
That was until the FBI notified my elder son that his father lay rotting among so many others.
—Brian Sherrod, CBS News, 24 Apr. 2026
Early harvesting prevents fruit from rotting and ensures better use of your tomatoes.
—Gemma Johnstone, The Spruce, 24 Apr. 2026
Avoid storing cauliflower next to produce that produce ethylene gas (such as apples, melons, peaches, plums, pears, or mangoes), which will speed up the ripening (and eventual rotting) process.
—Heather Riske, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Apr. 2026
The car was impounded the previous week after being abandoned in the Hollywood Hills, where neighbors complained of a rotting smell.
—Steven J. Horowitz, Variety, 20 Apr. 2026
In fact, many teens seem to have deep concerns over AI chatbots rotting their frontal lobes.
—Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 16 Apr. 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
-
That may be fine for downtown, but none of us in North County signed on for the kind of problems that high density brings — urban decay, crime, traffic and unaffordable housing.—
Lucas Robinson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 May 2026
-
Advertisement Just as Nietzsche warned of the dangers of a nihilist moral void leading to societal decay, the current disregard for responsible data practices could erode trust in institutions and perpetuate systemic inequalities.—
Alice Xiang,
Time,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
The poll also points to broader economic malaise; 55% of Americans say recent price increases have led to financial hardship, and the same number say their financial situation is deteriorating.—
Morgan Chalfant,
semafor.com,
28 Apr. 2026
-
In all cases, companies are reporting a surge in oil trading activity, tempered somewhat by the deteriorating outlook for natural gas production, stemming from Iranian air strikes severely damaging crucial gas production sites in the Gulf.—
Tristan Bove,
Fortune,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The search was prompted by soil vapor sampling, an experimental technology that detected volatile organic compounds potentially associated with decomposing human remains — though the method remains unproven in criminal investigations.—
Richard Winton,
Los Angeles Times,
6 May 2026
-
Carie Hallford was sentenced to 30 years for her role in a scheme that involved hiding nearly 200 decomposing bodies.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
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
-
The media covers it as a flash fire, not as a symptom of more dry rot in the crumbling of decorum and decency.—
Bill Goodykoontz,
AZCentral.com,
21 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Local officials are hopeful the money can help prevent future upticks in land movement and, ideally, formalize a new pathway for additional federal funding to address the city’s ongoing hazards and worsening budget crisis.—
Grace Toohey,
Los Angeles Times,
7 May 2026
-
Two other sloths, Habanero and Bandit, also died because of their condition worsening after being rescued by the zoo.—
Julia Gomez,
USA Today,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
The Professor, with only her ex-partner’s cat for company, sits in her decaying apartment and grieves the loss of her relationship and her struggle with infertility.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 May 2026
-
What showed up when those compounds were represented with colors on a plume map and compared with dozens of control-point samples of nearby soil indicated the presence of a decaying body, according to Eckenrode.—
Richard Winton,
Los Angeles Times,
6 May 2026
Adjective
-
Discard any that look dead or decayed.—
Helena Madden,
Martha Stewart,
2 Apr. 2026
-
The farm buildings on the property—long verandas, shearing sheds, and concrete kennels—are old and decayed, remnants from long before the group showed up.—
Robert Rubsam,
The Atlantic,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rotting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rotting. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
