Synonyms for
Rot
Definition
To decay or decompose through the action of bacteria and fungi.
Synonyms & similar words
Synonyms by register
Formal
Informal
Antonyms
Common collocations
- rot away
- rot from the inside out
- rot and decay
- begin to rot
- rot the teeth
- rot the wood
Word family
Usage note
Primarily used to describe the decay of organic matter, such as food or wood. Can also be used figuratively to describe moral or societal corruption.
Example sentences
- The apple in my lunchbox started to rot.
- If you don't clean your teeth, they will rot.
- Leaves on the ground will rot over time.
- The meat in the fridge will rot if you don't cook it soon.
- The old log was starting to rot away.
Quotes
We all have to decide for ourselves how much sin we can live with. I've always preferred to err on the side of non-sin. If I'm going to regret something tomorrow, I'd rather regret something I didn't do than something I did. - Jonathan Tropper
A lie will easily get you out of a scrape, and yet, strangely and beautifully, rapture possesses you when you have taken the scrape and left out the lie. - Charles Edward Montague
I'm not a good liar. I never was. I'm not very good at bluffing. - Michael Connelly