as in to decompose
to go through decomposition
we traced the bad smell to a dead skunk putrefying under the house
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 putrefy
Because lose-lose situations are so endemic to the genre, a hint of relief can sometimes accompany the prospect of surrender to the putrefying mob.
—
Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 9 Aug. 2025
Fast-forward to now, and the scene has putrefied into a wasteland of the percussive undead.
—Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 2 July 2025
But those explicit depictions underscore the many points McCartney and McLennan are trying to make about how misogyny putrefies society.
—Alexis Gunderson, Vulture, 8 Oct. 2024
It was designed to hold 20 bodies but on this day held 28 — the putrefied remains testifying to two dozen shattered dreams of reaching the United States.
—Arelis R. Hernández, Washington Post, 1 Mar. 2024
Mules killed in the assault putrefied and attracted swarms of maggots.
—Trip Gabriel, New York Times, 12 Jan. 2024
Just as fruit and meats left untouched began to rot and putrefy, dregs and undigested material inside the body turned poisonous if not expelled.
—Meg Leja, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 Nov. 2023
Just as fruit and meats left untouched began to rot and putrefy, so did dregs and undigested material inside the body turn poisonous if not expelled.
—Discover Magazine, 7 Nov. 2023
Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 9 Aug. 2025
Fast-forward to now, and the scene has putrefied into a wasteland of the percussive undead.
—Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 2 July 2025
But those explicit depictions underscore the many points McCartney and McLennan are trying to make about how misogyny putrefies society.
—Alexis Gunderson, Vulture, 8 Oct. 2024
It was designed to hold 20 bodies but on this day held 28 — the putrefied remains testifying to two dozen shattered dreams of reaching the United States.
—Arelis R. Hernández, Washington Post, 1 Mar. 2024
Mules killed in the assault putrefied and attracted swarms of maggots.
—Trip Gabriel, New York Times, 12 Jan. 2024
Just as fruit and meats left untouched began to rot and putrefy, dregs and undigested material inside the body turned poisonous if not expelled.
—Meg Leja, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 Nov. 2023
Just as fruit and meats left untouched began to rot and putrefy, so did dregs and undigested material inside the body turn poisonous if not expelled.
—Discover Magazine, 7 Nov. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for putrefy
Verb
-
Sites that preserve soft-bodied organisms are even rarer because soft tissues decompose more easily, making these places especially useful for piecing together prehistoric ecosystems.—
Marlowe Starling,
Quanta Magazine,
1 May 2026
-
The idea is to let the body decompose naturally.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
This could explain why the scent of cigarette smoke and rotting fish had an impact on people who were snoozing, but not on people who were awake.—
Shayla Love,
New Yorker,
1 May 2026
-
Ventilation holes allow air to circulate to prevent mold or rot.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Indeed, with Iran’s refusal to end hostilities on unfavorable terms and willingness to fight to the end, alongside Israel’s belligerence and desire to disintegrate the Iranian state, risks of further escalation remain.—
Alexander Langlois,
Oc Register,
22 Apr. 2026
-
Late Saturday, rescue crews were trying to determine whether the ValuJet aircraft disintegrated on impact or partially lodged itself in the soft, marshy terrain of the Everglades.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Researchers stressed that living plastics can function when the spores are dormant and decay when the spores are activated.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
3 May 2026
-
This includes some that pass through each other like ghosts, some that interact with each other, exchanging energy, and others that decay into smaller particles, releasing a tiny bit of energy in the process.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
27 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Putrefy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/putrefy. Accessed 5 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
