putrid
Americanadjective
-
in a state of foul decay or decomposition, as animal or vegetable matter; rotten.
-
of, relating to, or attended by putrefaction.
-
having the odor of decaying flesh.
- Synonyms:
- fetid
-
thoroughly corrupt, depraved, or evil.
- Synonyms:
- immoral
-
of very low quality; rotten.
adjective
-
(of organic matter) in a state of decomposition, usually giving off a foul smell
putrid meat
-
morally corrupt or worthless
-
sickening; foul
a putrid smell
-
informal deficient in quality or value
a putrid film
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of putrid
1375–1425; late Middle English < Latin putridus rotten, equivalent to putr ( ēre ) to rot + -idus -id 4
Explanation
You know that science experiment that used to be lunch that is now rotting in the back of your fridge? Because it's decomposing and stinks to high heaven, you can call it putrid. The adjective putrid describes something that is rotting and has a foul odor, but it can also describe anything that is totally objectionable or exceptionally terrible. Something that is morally corrupt or evil can also be described with putrid: "That putrid politician took kickbacks for his vote and then used the money to buy fur coats made from the pelts of endangered leopards."
Vocabulary lists containing putrid
Inside Out & Back Again
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The Westing Game
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Oh, No! Synonyms for "Bad"
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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.
Overall viewership for Milan Cortina has doubled the putrid Beijing numbers of four years ago, according to NBC, setting up these Winter Games to be the most-watched in a decade.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 15, 2026
"Noam. I d love your advice on how I handle my putrid press," Epstein wrote, adding that media coverage was "spiralling out of control".
From BBC • Feb. 4, 2026
For years, they pumped the putrid fluids deep into the ground—and triggered hundreds of earthquakes, some with a magnitude of over 5.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 26, 2025
Heartened by the fact that my starter hadn’t become putrid wallpaper paste overnight, I began keeping a journal to monitor its progress.
From Salon • Feb. 9, 2025
It was the first time I remembered seeing my brother proud of anything other than a particularly putrid fart.
From "We Are the Ants" by Shaun David Hutchinson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
