1
as in spoiled
having undergone organic breakdown
rotten, smelly meat that should have been thrown out
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in evil
not conforming to a high moral standard; morally unacceptable
played a rotten trick and then lied about it
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in unpleasant
not giving pleasure to the mind or senses
had a rotten time while on vacation
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4
as in horrible
extremely unsatisfactory
rotten housing conditions that no one should be forced to tolerate
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5
as in poor
of low quality
I can't do anything with these rotten tools
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of rotten
The smell won’t be as sweet, maybe a little rotten.
—
Jessica Farthing, Southern Living, 21 June 2025
In two particularly egregious examples involving baby products described to CNBC, Amazon sent customers used diapers and a chiller with someone else’s rotten breastmilk inside.
—Katie Tarasov, CNBC, 21 June 2025
On scorching days when winds blow across the California desert, the Salton Sea regularly gives off a stench of decay resembling rotten eggs.
—Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 10 June 2025
Not only was President Joe Biden in serious decline, Karine Jean-Pierre — celebrated in numerous fawning media profiles — was a rotten White House press secretary.
—Rich Lowry, National Review, 6 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for rotten
Jessica Farthing, Southern Living, 21 June 2025
In two particularly egregious examples involving baby products described to CNBC, Amazon sent customers used diapers and a chiller with someone else’s rotten breastmilk inside.
—Katie Tarasov, CNBC, 21 June 2025
On scorching days when winds blow across the California desert, the Salton Sea regularly gives off a stench of decay resembling rotten eggs.
—Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 10 June 2025
Not only was President Joe Biden in serious decline, Karine Jean-Pierre — celebrated in numerous fawning media profiles — was a rotten White House press secretary.
—Rich Lowry, National Review, 6 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for rotten
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rotten
Adjective
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From the twins and their parents to evil fiancées and housekeepers, the characters have gained a cult following since their release, with some fans using them as inspiration for their outfits, summer mood boards, and interior design.—
Claire Hoppe Norgaard,
Better Homes & Gardens,
15 July 2025
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Historically, antisemitic conspiracy theories have revolved around the idea that a shadowy and evil Jewish elite secretly controls the world, and ritualistic child abuse is a common trope within them.—
Shane Croucher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 July 2025
Adjective
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Set a Timer For particularly difficult or unpleasant tasks, set a timer for a short duration—for example, five to 30 minutes—and commit to working on that task until the time is up.—
Aubrey Bailey,
Verywell Health,
17 July 2025
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There are telltale signs that there's too much moisture in your house, from condensation to unpleasant odors.—
Hallie Milstein,
Southern Living,
17 July 2025
Adjective
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Because of Denise Gough's human frailty as a woman destroyed by her own ambition and Kyle Soller's cowardice in the face of a horrible truth.—
Maureen Lee Lenker,
EW.com,
23 July 2025
-
Soak up the gall of losing, absorb the horrible information, feel it to the full, go there—and then rebound, with superb elasticity.—
James Parker,
The Atlantic,
22 July 2025
Adjective
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Spurred by climate change, Canadian wildfires have increasingly exacerbated poor air quality across Milwaukee and southern Wisconsin.—
Maia Pandey,
jsonline.com,
24 July 2025
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Other critical factors that led to several brands exiting Japan, like Ford in 2016, were insufficient product lineups, and a poor dealer network.—
Peter Lyon,
Forbes.com,
23 July 2025
Adjective
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Basically, how others will judge you for moving on, if you’ll be seen as incompetent or immoral for quitting.—
Vicki Salemi,
Boston Herald,
20 July 2025
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With his opaque history and sources of wealth, his super-powerful friends and his immoral appetites, Epstein became the perfect avatar for our at-home Hollywood heroism.—
Steven Zeitchik,
HollywoodReporter,
19 July 2025
Adjective
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Earlier this month, employees at the Environmental Protection Agency, filed their own letter, with even worse results; 140 of them were placed on administrative leave.—
Jeffrey Kluger,
Time,
22 July 2025
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In other words, telling people their work looks bad and AI-generated is gatekeeping laptop jobs.—
James Folta,
Literary Hub,
22 July 2025
Adjective
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But when terrible news arrives about her ex, all eyes turn to Ana — whose reputation isn't exactly sterling.—
Lizz Schumer,
People.com,
21 July 2025
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If Trump takes Powell’s scalp, most observers warn, terrible things will unfold because of the ballooning national debt.—
Steve Forbes,
Forbes.com,
21 July 2025
Adjective
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For years, the equation seemed simple: look for the cheapest fare, even if the trip was mediocre.—
Wilson Santiago Burgos,
USA Today,
20 July 2025
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Prospect Capital is now the cheapest BDC on the market, trading at just 46% of NAV.—
Brett Owens,
Forbes.com,
20 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rotten.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rotten. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.
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