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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Recent Examples of rust
While statistics suggest that Bass has made headway on homelessness, makeshift encampments and rows of rusting RVs remain commonplace across the city.
—
Michael R. Blood, Fortune, 2 June 2026
My French and Dutch rusted like old bicycles.
—Joseph O’Neill, New Yorker, 1 June 2026
Preserves the structural integrity and safety of the deck by protecting the structure from water damage that may otherwise rust fasteners, weaken support posts, deteriorate joist hangers, warp deck boards, and rot the wood.
—Timothy Dale, The Spruce, 29 May 2026
If not properly maintained, the Dutch oven can rust over time.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 20 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for rust
Michael R. Blood, Fortune, 2 June 2026
My French and Dutch rusted like old bicycles.
—Joseph O’Neill, New Yorker, 1 June 2026
Preserves the structural integrity and safety of the deck by protecting the structure from water damage that may otherwise rust fasteners, weaken support posts, deteriorate joist hangers, warp deck boards, and rot the wood.
—Timothy Dale, The Spruce, 29 May 2026
If not properly maintained, the Dutch oven can rust over time.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 20 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for rust
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rust
Verb
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These textiles slowly rot and release greenhouse gases, while synthetic or mixed fabrics release chemicals, microplastics, and forever chemicals.—
Molly McCrea,
CBS News,
12 June 2026
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The team aimed to fashion a rotting meat smell to recreate this slightly unhygienic oral arrangement.—
RJ Mackenzie,
Popular Science,
11 June 2026
Verb
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Hyde has McCallany playing Detective Grimes, a haunted investigator descending into the decaying underbelly of a crumbling metropolis while hunting a brutal serial killer.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
1 June 2026
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When success is no longer about who has the best product, but who has the best connections or the most aggressive lobbyists, the organism begins to decay from within.—
Nitin Gupta,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
Verb
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Large die-offs can also create environmental and public health concerns, as fish begin to decompose in shallow waters and along shorelines.—
Moná Thomas,
PEOPLE,
10 June 2026
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Typically, the district allows dead fish to decompose in the lake, but because the smell was so substantial, contractors removed many of the dead fish ahead of the weekend, with a focus on public spaces, Belden said.—
Tyler Quattrin,
Twin Cities,
10 June 2026
Verb
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The problem centers around the rear subframe, which can corrode at suspension mounting points and cause the rear suspension to fail.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
10 June 2026
-
This corrodes faith in our democratic system.—
The Editorial Board,
Oc Register,
9 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rust.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rust. Accessed 15 Jun. 2026.
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