1
as in spoiled
having undergone organic breakdown
rotten, smelly meat that should have been thrown out
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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
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
This coordinated reaction suggests the hungry nematodes may be joining together to easily hitch a ride on larger animals such as insects that transport them to (not so) greener pastures with more rotten fruit to feast on, Perez said.
—Kameryn Griesser, CNN Money, 5 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for rotten
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
This coordinated reaction suggests the hungry nematodes may be joining together to easily hitch a ride on larger animals such as insects that transport them to (not so) greener pastures with more rotten fruit to feast on, Perez said.
—Kameryn Griesser, CNN Money, 5 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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But many of the Blues’ outings have been unpleasant because of high temperatures and storms, and six games across the tournament have been paused for poor weather conditions, angering manager Enzo Maresca.—
Dan Bernstein,
Sportico.com,
8 July 2025
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My other wildlife standoff involved a much cuter animal, but potentially far more unpleasant.—
Ernie Cowan,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
6 July 2025
Adjective
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Maybe the news reports and images trigger your feelings around a horrible experience at a camp, a personal loss of a child, or even just a loss of feeling safe and in control of the world, said Hurlbert.—
Madeline Holcombe,
CNN Money,
11 July 2025
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For many who were directly affected by the flood, these post-flood days have been like waking up from a horrible nightmare.—
Bea L. Hines,
Miami Herald,
11 July 2025
Adjective
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With poor finances, car and home loans will likely be rejected and life decisions like starting a family or getting married could be delayed significantly.—
Suzanne Blake,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 July 2025
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But August is perhaps a poor month in which to rally the staff.—
John Updike,
New Yorker,
11 July 2025
Adjective
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The Mann Act, also known as the White-Slave Traffic Act of 1910, is a federal law that prohibits the interstate or foreign transportation of individuals for prostitution or other immoral activities.—
KiMi Robinson,
USA Today,
3 July 2025
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What Ukraine needs now is the time, tools, and space to prove to the Kremlin that an occupation is not just immoral but incompatible with Russia’s long-term security needs.—
Michael Carpenter,
Foreign Affairs,
1 July 2025
Adjective
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Tom threw batting practice to Jackson, took Ethan down in the garage to vent and hit soft toss after a bad day at school.—
Cody Stavenhagen,
New York Times,
10 July 2025
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But Littell, who had been on a good roll, had — by his standards — a bad day, allowing the Tigers to go ahead 3-2 in the fourth.—
Marc Topkin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
10 July 2025
Adjective
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Vegas bounced back from a terrible loss to the Fever with an 86-68 win over the Sun on Sunday.—
Kilty Cleary,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 July 2025
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And because of that, it’s shielded us from the terrible things that happen downstream in the supply chain.—
Alexandra Harrell,
Sourcing Journal,
8 July 2025
Adjective
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So Amazfit Active 2 $100 $80 (20% off) Amazon $100 $80 (20% off) Amazfit Our top budget fitness tracker is even cheaper thanks to Prime Day.—
Parker Hall,
Wired News,
8 July 2025
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With a price tag of $99.99, the half-size bottles weren’t exactly cheap by the ounce—but that didn’t prevent stocks from selling out fast, spurred by excellent word of mouth.—
David Thomas Tao,
Forbes.com,
8 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rotten.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rotten. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
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