rust

verb

Definition of rustnext
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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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 rust Anyone caught on the receiving end of a DIY soccer cleat loaded with sharp, likely rusting metal nails probably wasn’t getting back up to finish the game. — Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 2 July 2026 Part of the fun is how Young himself refuses to rust into a nostalgia act. — Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 25 June 2026 Is a suspension cable losing its structural strength because its inner steel wires are rusting away? — Alex Krasnok, Scientific American, 25 June 2026 The folding chairs are made from sturdy steel that can get through the summer sun, the winter snow, and the spring rain without rusting. — Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for rust
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rust
  1. rot
  2. decay
  3. decompose
  4. corrode
Verb
  • In his inital letter, Lehmkuhl agreed that there is an urgent need to clear debris and address the persistent odor of millions of pounds of rotting food at the site.
    — Jasmine Mendez Follow, Los Angeles Times, 4 July 2026
  • Applying mulch directly against plant stems traps moisture, leading to rotting and other issues.
    — Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 July 2026
Definition of rot
Verb
  • Leave some messiness in your garden and leave the leaves, as decaying leaves are great habitat for fireflies.
    — Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 5 July 2026
  • Many kinds of fly larvae eat dead or decaying tissue and may sometimes end up on meat, but New World screwworm larvae need living tissue to survive and develop.
    — Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 5 July 2026
Definition of decay
Verb
  • The catalyst causes hydrogen peroxide to decompose rapidly into water and oxygen gas.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 18 July 2026
  • In the mornings, our counselors still walk, slowly now, through the stench of bodies decomposing under the ruins of schools, mosques, and homes.
    — James Gordon, Time, 14 July 2026
Definition of decompose
Verb
  • Our first commercial tactile gloves failed within a week because some people's hands are sweaty enough to corrode the wiring.
    — Rushil Agarwal, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026
  • Affected cars have driver's side airbags with connectors that may corrode, which could cause the airbag to not deploy and increase the risk of injury or death.
    — Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 25 June 2026
Definition of corrode

Browse Nearby Words

rushing
rust
rusted
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Cite this Entry

“Rust.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rust. Accessed 19 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on rust

Nglish: Translation of rust for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about rust

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