OXIDIZING Synonyms: 59 Similar and Opposite Words

oxidizing

verb

present participle of oxidize

as in rusting

to combine chemically with oxygen Iron will oxidize if it is exposed to air and moisture.

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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 oxidizing The sun really did a number on it, oxidizing the paint, while water also found its way into one of the engines. — Caleb Jacobs, The Drive, 20 Aug. 2026 These oxidizing species can chemically react with the membrane that surrounds a bacterium, damaging and destroying it. — Rahul Rao, Space.com, 19 Aug. 2026 The material can power reactions such as oxidizing organic molecules, potentially degrading pollutants, sterilizing surfaces, or enabling photocatalytic chemistry to continue later in the dark. — New Atlas, 3 July 2026 But recent studies have shown that erosion can also emit CO2 by oxidizing organic carbon contained in eroding sediments. — Howard Lee, ArsTechnica, 26 June 2026 The acid prevents cut apples from oxidizing and turning brown, while keeping sliced avocadoes or guacamole bright green. — Catharine Kaufman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Apr. 2026 By capturing the oxygen, the coating prevents it from oxidizing the electrolyte and forming harmful byproducts. — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 13 Mar. 2026 Those flies themselves depend on sulfur-oxidizing microbes as their primary food source. — Humberto Basilio, Scientific American, 7 Nov. 2025 What's more, the oxidizing process would simply start again, and the entire structure would turn green again in a few short years. — Theo Burman, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Sep. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for oxidizing

Verb

The rusting hull — once a famed vessel known as the Slovenian — surfaced earlier this month from the Sava River near the Serbian town of Sremska Mitrovica, 70 kilometers (45 miles) northwest of the capital of Belgrade.

— ABC News, ABC News, 20 Aug. 2026
The rusting hull — once a famed vessel known as the Slovenian — surfaced earlier this month from the Sava River near the Serbian town of Sremska Mitrovica, 45 miles northwest of the capital of Belgrade.

— CBS News, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of rusting

Verb

But the last inspection was in October, 10 months before dozens of decomposing bodies were found at the South Chicago Chapel funeral home.

— Megan De Mar, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026
And just over a year after that, the Morgans landed back in the news after authorities found 56 decomposing corpses inside another one of their businesses, South Deering’s South Chicago Chapel.

— Caroline Kubzansky, Chicago Tribune, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of decomposing

Verb

During a news conference, Cooper criticized the effort to ban the devices, arguing that state lawmakers are reacting to actions by the federal government rather than addressing how California law enforcement agencies use the technology.

— Darrielle Fair, CBS News, 28 Aug. 2026
The combat is slow and tedious, with far too much emphasis on reacting to overly precious enemy animations.

— Jordan Minor, PC Magazine, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of reacting

Verb

With all the rain from storms recently, our streets and roads are disintegrating faster.

— Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 23 Aug. 2026
In just four years, Keegan had spurred a disintegrating club into a united entity known for its energy and style, cherished as the ‘Entertainers’.

— Michael Walker, New York Times, 22 Aug. 2026

Definition of disintegrating

Verb

On a nearby section of the coast, crews have been placing rock to shore up a crumbling coastline and keep nearby trains running.

— Robert Gauthier, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026
When a team is crumbling, a rare sturdy presence becomes much more than an afterthought.

— Andrew Baggarly, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of crumbling

Verb

At these temperatures, the molten salt remains chemically stable but begin corroding the metal used to build the reactor vessel, posing a major safety risk.

— Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 14 July 2026
The company is accused of knowing that its sprinkler system was corroding and that emergency repairs to some sprinkler heads had been completed just days before the chemical reaction.

— Irene Wright, USA Today, 23 June 2026

Definition of corroding

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“Oxidizing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/oxidizing. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of oxidizing

verb

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