as in rotten
having undergone organic breakdown
we had to throw out the putrefied tomatoes that had been sitting on the counter all week
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in decomposed
to go through decomposition
we traced the bad smell to a dead skunk putrefying under the house
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 putrefied
Jay Kakade
december 31, New Atlas, 31 Dec. 2025
Adjective
Since some Indigenous tribes from the Arctic and subarctic are known to eat maggots from putrefied meat, the researchers considered maggots a potential factor driving those isotope spikes.
—Jay Kakade
december 31, New Atlas, 31 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for putrefied
Adjective
-
And that kind of movie almost always tastes rotten — no matter how long it’s been sitting in theaters.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
31 Mar. 2026
-
He was forced to eat cat litter, cat feces, urine, vomit and rotten spinach, according to court documents.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The detail was that Rivas’ body was not only badly decomposed when it was found – it had been dismembered and separated into two bags before being placed in the trunk of the Tesla.—
Allison Gordon,
CNN Money,
12 Mar. 2026
-
In both cases, the remains were decomposed, and appeared that they may have been moved around multiple locations before being discovered, authorities said.—
Nate Gartrell,
Mercury News,
4 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The farm buildings on the property—long verandas, shearing sheds, and concrete kennels—are old and decayed, remnants from long before the group showed up.—
Robert Rubsam,
The Atlantic,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Vines growing on the trunk and branches can hide structural damage or potential hazards like a canker or decayed section of a branch or the trunk.—
Tim Johnson,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The root system is completely rotted out of it, so winds, rain and anything can push that right over.—
Joe Holden,
CBS News,
17 Mar. 2026
-
How to Plant Bare Root Roses Carefully inspect the roots and cut off any that are broken, cracked, rotted, or show signs of insect damage.—
Nadia Hassani,
The Spruce,
26 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Skenes was chased in the first inning earlier in the day by the Mets — as 76ers star Joel Embiid mocked the Pirates ' ace on social media — while Sánchez never pitched into a serious jam against Texas and spoiled manager Skip Schumaker's Texas debut.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
26 Mar. 2026
-
For years, lawyers have alleged that inmates receive expired, undercooked or contaminated food, including spoiled meat and deteriorated dairy products.—
Michael Rios,
CNN Money,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
United could have disintegrated in the second period, fearing fate was against them.—
Beren Cross,
New York Times,
16 Mar. 2026
-
There was more funding for higher education, less restrictive laws, lower voting ages, better reproductive rights for women and easier divorces, while icons of popular culture gained far greater prominence and influence as stuffy hierarchies disintegrated.—
Jason Burke,
Time,
27 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Putrefied.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/putrefied. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
