as in to decompose
to combine chemically with oxygen
Iron will oxidize if it is exposed to air and moisture.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of oxidize
The vehicle was an older silver Kia hatchback, oxidized and dull in appearance.
—
Marcus D. Smith, Sacbee.com, 7 May 2025
While the generous volunteer did not see any damage obvious to the naked eye—likely meaning that the fire did not get hot enough to oxidize any of the hangers or cause spalling of rock—with no standardized process, the evaluation was inherently limited and informal.
—Hannah Provost, Outside Online, 26 Apr. 2025
These vigorously oxidizing molecules are toxic, but local muscle cells can handle them.
—Amber Dance, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Apr. 2025
An unopened bottle of wine can last for years, but once uncorked and exposed to air, wine starts to oxidize and its deliciousness begins to fade.
—Annie Peterson, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for oxidize
Marcus D. Smith, Sacbee.com, 7 May 2025
While the generous volunteer did not see any damage obvious to the naked eye—likely meaning that the fire did not get hot enough to oxidize any of the hangers or cause spalling of rock—with no standardized process, the evaluation was inherently limited and informal.
—Hannah Provost, Outside Online, 26 Apr. 2025
These vigorously oxidizing molecules are toxic, but local muscle cells can handle them.
—Amber Dance, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Apr. 2025
An unopened bottle of wine can last for years, but once uncorked and exposed to air, wine starts to oxidize and its deliciousness begins to fade.
—Annie Peterson, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for oxidize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for oxidize
Verb
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Molasses is food for soil microbes—tiny living organisms like bacteria, fungi, and protozoa—that decompose organic matter, improve soil structure, and make nutrients available to plants, Fox says.—
Leanne Potts,
Better Homes & Gardens,
11 June 2025
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The microbes perform vital functions like decomposing organic matter, improving water-holding capacity, cycling nutrients, and suppressing pathogens to improve plant resilience and overall soil health.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
24 May 2025
Verb
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Has rusting ever been an issue with other toothbrushes?—
Scott Kramer,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2025
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The reef is uninhabited, except for a navy garrison stationed aboard a rusting warship, the BRP Sierra Madre, which the country deliberately grounded in 1999 to stake its claim.—
Micah McCartney,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 May 2025
Verb
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Markets reacted favorably to the monthly jobs report on Friday, indicating less worry about the economic outlook, with US Treasury yields and stocks moving higher.—
Bill Stone,
Forbes.com,
8 June 2025
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Pay attention to the ironclad, near chronological setlist built through generations of trial and error response on the road, and watch how tens of thousands of people who were there for each step of Wayne’s career reacts to it.—
Abe Beame,
Rolling Stone,
7 June 2025
Verb
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Guinness noted that the actor had to jump out of a helicopter from a minimum height of 7,500 feet — sometimes while wearing a 50-pound camera rig — and that the parachute could only burn for about three seconds before completely disintegrating, forcing Cruise to deploy a backup chute.—
Wesley Stenzel,
EW.com,
5 June 2025
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Instead the vehicle spun out of control and disintegrated during atmospheric reentry.—
Gayoung Lee,
Scientific American,
28 May 2025
Verb
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The myth that Medicaid is for 'someone else' is crumbling fast.—
Suzanne Blake,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 June 2025
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The strikes overwhelmed air defense systems, and the city was rife with fires burning, buildings crumbling, and other debris from the attacks.—
Christopher Tremoglie,
The Washington Examiner,
6 June 2025
Verb
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Amid concerns over the possibility that that stray voltage could corrode metal, including utility equipment nearby, F.H. Paschen Ragnar Benson Joint Venture will install isolation pads to keep that stray voltage within bounds.—
Doug Ross,
Chicago Tribune,
29 May 2025
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The heaters for the pool, the interior parts of it were starting to get corroded so that was going to need to be replaced.—
Molly Guthrey,
Twin Cities,
14 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Oxidize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/oxidize. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.
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