Thesaurus results for MOLTING

molting

verb

present participle of molt

as in shedding

to cast (a natural bodily covering or appendage) aside a crab molts its shell as it grows larger

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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 molting Extreme drought is causing breeding grounds, molting spots and migration stopover sites to vanish. — The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 7 Aug. 2025 Chicks that haven't grown in their waterproof feathers are the main victims of the drownings, but the lack of sea ice also affects molting adults, who need ice as a safe place to regrow their swimming feathers, per The Guardian. — Joyann Jeffrey, PEOPLE, 9 Apr. 2026 Here, Jaffe softens the borders between his dual interests in electronic music and jazz, crafting compositions that are constantly molting and emerging anew. — Dash Lewis, Pitchfork, 20 Dec. 2025 Why Emperor Penguins Are Declining Emperor penguins depend on stable Antarctic sea ice for breeding, raising chicks and molting for at least nine months of the year. — Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 9 Apr. 2026 Now, in his fourth week checking the hawk’s nest on OC Parks’ land managed by the Irvine Ranch Conservancy, Gough noticed the color change, indicating the chicks are molting their feathers, doing well, and growing. — Erika I. Ritchie, Oc Register, 8 May 2026 On the Sonora stage Sunday, the 22-year-old Newark rapper-producer who arrived at the current screaming catharsis via a circuit of molting SoundCloud-era microgenres was at once dangerously commanding and euphoric while tearing through highlights from last year’s Revengeseekerz. — Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 21 Apr. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for molting

Verb

From shedding leaves, bark, berries, seeds, and sap year-round to causing your sidewalks and driveway to lift and shift, not all trees are suited for yards.

— Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 2 July 2026
Poodles are considered to be low-shedding dogs, in their toy, miniature and standard sizes.

— Madeline Gunderson, USA Today, 2 July 2026

Definition of shedding

Verb

Messy Debris Some trees drop litter all through the year, from peeling bark to messy seed pods to staining berries.

— Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 2 July 2026
The coating, supplied by Atlantic Industrial Coatings under a no-bid contract, began peeling after the pool was refilled, while bright green algae appeared as the president claimed without evidence that it had been vandalized.

— Adam England, PEOPLE, 2 July 2026

Definition of peeling

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molten

molting

molts

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“Molting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/molting. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of molting

verb

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