rusting

verb

present participle of rust
as in rotting
to form rust The old car was left to rust in the yard of the abandoned 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 rusting Christmas decorations linger into summer, and grasses grow high through rusting cars. — Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026 This is particularly necessary for knives made from high-carbon steel, which are prone to rusting. — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 25 Sep. 2026 Preparing for a possible attack, the gunner fired a heavy-caliber round from his rusting weapon. — Nic Robertson, CNN Money, 10 Sep. 2026 It’s designed to stand up to harsh weather conditions without rusting or corroding—no furniture covers needed—and comes partially pre-assembled for breezy setup. — Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Sep. 2026 The construction will focus on various structural issues around the facility, including water damage, rusting steel, and over three decades-old industrial chillers. — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 5 Sep. 2026 Justice Department lawyers have argued that the building needs extensive repairs, citing water damage and rusting steel, according to The Hill. — Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 5 Sep. 2026 The car had spent years being stored out in the open, rusting away beneath a carport in Miami’s Coconut Grove district. — Howard Walker, Robb Report, 31 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, 20 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rusting
  1. rotting
  2. decomposing
  3. decaying
  4. corroding
Verb
  • Rifkin recounted how an ordinary Saturday of shopping ended with Sierra leaving Machado, Julia and Daniela rotting in a closet and being eaten by insects.
    — Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 19 Oct. 2026
  • The researchers grew the common research plant Arabidopsis thaliana in containers, some of which were dotted with patches of rotting apple.
    — Joanna Thompson, Scientific American, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of rotting
Verb
  • In this case, the researchers focused its attention on acetic acid – the source of the sour, vinegar-like smell coming from decomposing garbage.
    — Maryna Holovnova, New Atlas, 19 Oct. 2026
  • The first responding officer opened one of the suitcases and discovered a woman's decomposing body -- naked, bound with rope and in a fetal position.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of decomposing
Verb
  • According to the Connecticut Department of Transportation, dead, diseased and decaying trees will be removed during the evening and overnights hours to ensure public safety.
    — Sean Krofssik, Hartford Courant, 22 Oct. 2026
  • The decaying Haddon Hall was demolished in the 1980s and replaced with an apartment block.
    — Eleni N. Gage, Architectural Digest, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of decaying
Verb
  • Deterioration is exacerbated if water reaches the steel rebar, corroding from inside the concrete mass and thereby weakening the integrity of the wall.
    — Jeffrey Weiss, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Rust often comes from corroding fasteners or nearby metal, while mold thrives on dirt and moisture buildup.
    — The Spruce, The Spruce, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of corroding

Browse Nearby Words

rustics
rusting
rustle
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Cite this Entry

“Rusting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rusting. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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