molt
verb (used without object)
(of birds, insects, reptiles, etc.) to cast or shed the feathers, skin, or the like, that will be replaced by a new growth.
molting
-
present participleof molt.present participle
A verb form that is used in progressive verb constructions and may also function as a modifier or a gerund.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
They hoped to disrupt the molting process of cicada nymphs, which need to shed their outer layer to emerge as adults.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 30, 2026
Over time, they wear out and are replaced in a process known as molting.
From Science Daily ● Mar. 18, 2026
Filming took place between October and January, to avoid molting season.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 12, 2025
Versatile and resilient, the lobster survives by molting, shedding its skin and growing into a new, bigger shell.
From New York Times ● May 20, 2024
Conditions below were almost unbearable: the stinking, rotting sleeping bags made the air putrid, and the molting hairs choked the men as they tried to gasp for breath.
From "Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World" by Jennifer Armstrong
