rotting 1 of 3

Definition of rottingnext

rotting

2 of 3

noun

rotting

3 of 3

verb

present participle of rot
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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
Such rotting fruit from the forest floor contained higher concentrations of fermenting yeast and alcohol than the fruits hanging from trees. Literary Hub, 7 Jan. 2026 Their roots need air, and soil can be too dense and lead to rotting roots. Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 5 Jan. 2026 Maggots feasting on this rotting tissue become enriched in heavy Nitrogen. Jay Kakade december 31, New Atlas, 31 Dec. 2025 There should be no blemishes, white mold, or yellow spots, as this may indicate rotting, or that the cucumber is overly ripe and on the verge of rotting. Christine Fiorentino, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Dec. 2025 Contrary to popular depictions of bee nests as large, intricate hives that hang from trees, the majority of bee species — about 90% — are actually solitary and build their nests in the ground or within rotting logs and the stems of plants. Taylor Nicioli, CNN Money, 17 Dec. 2025 Crooked bench, wobbly stepping stone, or rotting fence post? Paul Cappiello, Louisville Courier Journal, 12 Dec. 2025 The research team revealed that plastination is a new method for managing moisture in wood by replacing water in the cellular structure with a silicone compound to create a durable, hydrophobic barrier that resists swelling, rotting, and cracking. Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 6 Nov. 2025 The rotting corpse flower’s putrid stench cast a spell Thursday across Roseville High School’s campus. Ishani Desai, Sacbee.com, 31 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rotting
Noun
  • Teeth become diseased with decay and resorptive lesions and, when removed, these cats often lead much happier and more comfortable lives.
    Dr. John De Jong, Boston Herald, 11 Jan. 2026
  • These fission reactors relied on the slow decay of uranium to generate heat and electricity.
    Matthew S Williams, Interesting Engineering, 10 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • For now, all that can be said for certain, judging by the latest implosion in his current employers West Ham’s fast-deteriorating season, is that nobody has benefited from his falling-out with Edu and the sequence of events that brought about Nuno’s exit from the City Ground.
    Daniel Taylor, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026
  • Iran has been racked by protests over the past several days around deteriorating economic conditions in the country, made worse by a growing water crisis and severe sanctions against Tehran.
    Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 2 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Investigators later searched the Ephrata home and storage unit of Jonathan Christ Gerlach, 34, and reported finding more than 100 human skulls, long bones, mummified hands and feet, two decomposing torsos and other skeletal items.
    Mark Scolforo, Fortune, 9 Jan. 2026
  • For nearly two weeks before embarking on the cross-country road trip, the teenager lived with his parents’ decomposing bodies.
    David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 8 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • However, the Facebook post specified that despite the building crumbling, business at The Singing Chef Cafe has been thriving.
    Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 Dec. 2025
  • The essay moves through three parts, from an opening scene of conflict to a middle section that narrates how Didion gradually grew to distrust police, and onto a last section that reflects on the crumbling of police authority and credibility.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 9 Dec. 2025
Verb
  • The shipments come as Cuba faces a worsening energy crisis, marked by rolling blackouts, fuel shortages, and mounting economic strain.
    Chelsea Jones, CBS News, 13 Jan. 2026
  • For example, avoiding deep cleaning areas of your home can lead to worsening build-up of soap scum, bacteria, and other accumulating atrocities that can damage surfaces, bedding, plumbing, and even your appliances.
    Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 13 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • In essence, this would mean that alpha particles (helium nuclei) released by decaying uranium (or some other fissile material) would be focused through engine nozzles to generate thrust.
    Matthew S Williams, Interesting Engineering, 10 Jan. 2026
  • By the time of his death in 2013, Venezuela’s economy was already decaying, its institutions hollowed, and its future mortgaged.
    Duncan S. DeMarsh, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • 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
  • The breakthrough came when researchers focused on coelomic fluid, the internal liquid surrounding the sea stars’ organs, rather than tissue from decayed specimens.
    Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 4 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • The Sicilian way is to lie, like seals, sprawled along the rocks with a towel and a cold beer before descending abruptly into intense shades of blue.
    Rosalyn Wikeley, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Jan. 2026
  • The rampant unpacking of his account descending into ad hominem attacks feels counterintuitive to what people want from celebrities now, a patina of authenticity.
    Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 8 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Rotting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rotting. Accessed 18 Jan. 2026.

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