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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of rotting
Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 15 May 2026
Dispose of any overripe or rotting produce immediately.
—Kate Van Pelt, The Spruce, 13 May 2026
Termites will always search for new sources of damp wood, so aside from chemical treatment, the best way to prevent an infestation is to avoid leaks and reduce moisture in your home, as well as avoid damp wood outside, like rotting stumps and firewood piles.
—Dan Simms, USA Today, 12 May 2026
Drying is also a good opportunity to cull out any severely bruised or rotting berries.
—Kelly Brant, Arkansas Online, 12 May 2026
Sargassum is washing up on South Florida beaches in mountainous amounts, rotting into a gag-worthy mush.
—Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 11 May 2026
This could explain why the scent of cigarette smoke and rotting fish had an impact on people who were snoozing, but not on people who were 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
Then came the yacht’s renaissance by her father, who saw beauty and sailing prowess inside a rotting hull.
—Tristan Rutherford, Robb Report, 3 Jan. 2025
Verb
Still, others were not convinced this method was effective long term, as peonies can be prone to rotting roots.
—Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 15 May 2026
Dispose of any overripe or rotting produce immediately.
—Kate Van Pelt, The Spruce, 13 May 2026
Termites will always search for new sources of damp wood, so aside from chemical treatment, the best way to prevent an infestation is to avoid leaks and reduce moisture in your home, as well as avoid damp wood outside, like rotting stumps and firewood piles.
—Dan Simms, USA Today, 12 May 2026
Drying is also a good opportunity to cull out any severely bruised or rotting berries.
—Kelly Brant, Arkansas Online, 12 May 2026
Sargassum is washing up on South Florida beaches in mountainous amounts, rotting into a gag-worthy mush.
—Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 11 May 2026
This could explain why the scent of cigarette smoke and rotting fish had an impact on people who were snoozing, but not on people who were 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
Then came the yacht’s renaissance by her father, who saw beauty and sailing prowess inside a rotting hull.
—Tristan Rutherford, Robb Report, 3 Jan. 2025
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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But more than a decade of decay and corruption scandals have created an infrastructure chokepoint.—
Tiisetso Motsoeneng,
semafor.com,
15 May 2026
-
Helium-4 is naturally produced in the mantle through the decay of uranium and thorium, so there’s a lot of it.—
Robin George Andrews,
Scientific American,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
Mohammadi’s family said her health had been deteriorating in prison, in part because she was heavily beaten during her arrest.—
Sarah el Deeb,
Los Angeles Times,
11 May 2026
-
In recent years, the island’s deteriorating infrastructure has been a backdrop for violence, neglect, and death; a federal judge has deemed its conditions unconstitutional.—
Molly Fischer,
New Yorker,
11 May 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
-
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
-
Higher yields boost interest costs, which are running at $1 trillion a year, worsening the budget deficit and adding even more to the total debt burden.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
15 May 2026
-
Samsung has warned that the AI boom is worsening chip shortages and creating headwinds for its own smartphone and display units.—
Ron Schmelzer,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
Indoor plants won’t always attract earwigs, but decaying plant matter or mold in the soil, issues that are common with over watering, will.—
Dan Simms,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
-
The transformation of decaying riads into hotels has often meant aiding the restoration of Marrakech’s UNESCO heritage site.—
Rebecca Ann Hughes,
Forbes.com,
15 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 18 May. 2026.
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