putrefied 1 of 2

adjective

as in rotten
having undergone organic breakdown we had to throw out the putrefied tomatoes that had been sitting on the counter all week

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putrefied

2 of 2

verb

past tense of putrefy
as in decomposed
to go through decomposition we traced the bad smell to a dead skunk putrefying under the house

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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
Adjective
They’re formulated to smell like things rabbits detest, like blood or putrefied eggs. — Alexandra Kelly, Martha Stewart, 31 July 2026 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
  1. rotten
  2. decomposed
  3. decayed
  4. rotted
  5. spoiled
  6. disintegrated
Adjective
  • His last Netflix partnership, the miniseries Zero Day, put up rotten scores.
    — Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Always bury the rotten fruit in the center of your compost pile to help mask the smell and deter unwanted animals.
    — SJ McShane, Martha Stewart, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of rotten
Verb
  • Determining the causes of death was complicated by how decomposed the bodies were, the medical examiner’s office said.
    — Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 25 Aug. 2026
  • The study hypothesized that the sickle was added before the body fully decomposed since no joints were detached or displaced, as archaeologists would expect if a grave were to be disturbed after the body became a skeleton.
    — Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of decomposed
Adjective
  • The soil should be moist, faintly acid smelling, from its infusion of decayed compost.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Rossi treated the paint surface, meanwhile, by removing oxidized varnish, decayed retouching, and incoherent integrations and additions, allowing viewers to appreciate the luminosity of Fra Angelico’s palette and the precision of his gilding.
    — Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of decayed
Verb
  • By this point the food in her fridge rotted and her basement flooded.
    — Rebecca Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 20 Aug. 2026
  • In the process, Ownbey discovered support timbers had rotted away, forcing him to bring entire walls to his workshop for meticulous reconstruction.
    — Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of rotted
Adjective
  • People are throwing out spoiled food and lining up for hot meals, according to reports, while searching for laundromats, working Wi-Fi, cleaning wipes and diapers.
    — Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Fridge smells often come from spoiled food and mildew, which can be tackled with vinegar and baking soda.
    — The Spruce, The Spruce, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of spoiled
Verb
  • Just seconds later, in a separate incident, the Brazilian F50 was about to go into a standard jibe maneuver (turning the boat through the wind to change direction) but disintegrated in the blink of an eye.
    — Andrew Rice, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Tim Graham/Getty Images Most Popular Nader’s empire quickly disintegrated into chaos.
    — Hadley Hall Meares, Vanity Fair, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of disintegrated

Browse Nearby Words

putrefaction
putrefied
putrefies
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Cite this Entry

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

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