RUST Synonyms: 76 Similar and Opposite Words

rust

verb

Definition of rust

as in to rot

to form rust The old car was left to rust in the yard of the abandoned house.

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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 rust The rusting hull — once a famed vessel known as the Slovenian — surfaced earlier this month from the Sava River near the Serbian town of Sremska Mitrovica, 45 miles northwest of the capital of Belgrade. — CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026 Videos and photos circulating on social media show piles of rocks, chunks of concrete and rusted metal rods after waves removed layers of sand along the shoreline. — Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 18 Aug. 2026 And, rather than let HALO rust in a warehouse, Northrop is doubling down on its commitment to the cause. — Josh Dinner, Space.com, 13 Aug. 2026 Contractors will complicate Route 9 traffic for two and a half years to save a rusting swing bridge that’s used solely by freight trains — and only about twice a week, critics said. — Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 7 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for rust

Recent Examples of Synonyms for rust

Verb

Flies buzz over the rotting carcass, which is riven by claw marks so unnaturally deep that no one can determine whomauledit.

— Justin Chang, New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2026
They shouldn’t be stored below 45 degrees because chilling can cause internal damage and eventually contribute to breakdown and rot, explains Gregorie.

— Lynn Andriani, Martha Stewart, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of rot

Verb

The book takes on the form of a journal by Utsugi, an aging patriarch, who, recovering from a stroke, discovers that while his body is decaying, his libido rages on.

— Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 4 Sep. 2026
Some detest the compost odor; others say decaying food attracts rats.

— Emily Staunton, Christian Science Monitor, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of decay

Verb

But the situation is far more tragic, with videos on social media showing dozens of coffins lined up beside mass graves, awaiting burial before the bodies decompose in the heat.

— ABC News, ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026
The body itself was badly decomposed after spending an unknown amount of time exposed to the elements, with animals, bugs and rain, plus 50 years in storage.

— Taylor Romine, CNN Money, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of decompose

Verb

The element reacts violently with moisture, corrodes rapidly in normal air, and poses an immediate fire hazard if exposed to humidity.

— Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 4 Sep. 2026
After 3,000 drops, roughly equivalent to an afternoon of moderate rain, the copper plate beneath all four surfaces had corroded, despite its Teflon coating.

— Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of corrode

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rushing

rust

rusted

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“Rust.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rust. Accessed 8 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of rust

verb

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