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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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 oxidizing Perhaps the mission's biggest discovery was the existence of perchlorate, an oxidizing chemical that can be food for some microbes while toxic for others. — Tariq Malik, Space.com, 4 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 Today, the entire industrialized world is held up by the energy released by oxidizing organic carbon back to CO2. — Peter Brannen, Big Think, 28 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for oxidizing
  1. rusting
  2. decomposing
  3. reacting
  4. disintegrating
  5. crumbling
  6. corroding
Verb
  • But workers who are rusting out still report to their shifts and perform, although with a fading sense of purpose.
    — Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Contractors will complicate Route 9 traffic for two and a half years to save a rusting swing bridge that’s used solely by freight trains — and only about twice a week, critics said.
    — Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of rusting
Verb
  • Other microbes recycle nutrients by decomposing dead plants and animals, fix atmospheric nitrogen into forms that plants can use, and form essential partnerships with roots, insects, and other organisms.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Many unanswered questions remain after 56 decomposing bodies were found inside a Chicago funeral home last week.
    — Megan De Mar, CBS News, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of decomposing
Verb
  • By identifying exactly what the frustration concerns before reacting, leaders are more likely to channel emotion toward fixing broken systems instead of attacking individuals.
    — Rodger Dean Duncan, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2026
  • This enables teams to quickly adapt to demand shifts instead of reacting post-disruption after stockouts or excess inventory situations have already occurred.
    — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of reacting
Verb
  • Teams must build enough psychological trust to disagree without disintegrating.
    — Bryan Robinson, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Others rot in the California sun, disintegrating into bony fragments.
    — Jack Flemming, Los Angeles Times, 15 July 2026
Definition of disintegrating
Verb
  • Instead of crumbling in defeat, Rivera roared back with defiance.
    — Caroline Price, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Puerto Rico has struggled with water and power outages for years due to crumbling infrastructure.
    — Christopher Cann, USA Today, 10 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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Cite this Entry

“Oxidizing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/oxidizing. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of oxidizing for Spanish Speakers

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