rotten

[rot-n]

adjective

rottener, rottenest 

1. decomposing or decaying; putrid; tainted, foul, or bad-smelling.

   Synonyms: rank, fetid
   Antonyms: sound

2. corrupt or morally offensive.

   Synonyms: immoral
   Antonyms: moral

3. wretchedly bad, unpleasant, or unsatisfactory; miserable.

   a rotten piece of work; a rotten day at the office.

4. contemptible; despicable.

   a rotten little liar; a rotten trick.

   Synonyms: treacherous, unwholesome, disgusting

5. (of soil, rocks, etc.) soft, yielding, or friable as the result of decomposition.

6. Australian Slang.,  drunk.

rotten

/ ˈrɒtən /

adjective

1. affected with rot; decomposing, decaying, or putrid

2. breaking up, esp through age or hard use; disintegrating

   rotten ironwork

3. morally despicable or corrupt

4. untrustworthy, disloyal, or treacherous

5. informal,  unpleasant, unfortunate, or nasty

   rotten luck

   rotten weather

6. informal,  unsatisfactory or poor

   rotten workmanship

7. informal,  miserably unwell

8. informal,  distressed, uncomfortable, and embarrassed

   I felt rotten when I told him to go

9. (of rocks, soils, etc) soft and crumbling, esp as a result of weathering

10. slang,  intoxicated; drunk

adverb

1. extremely; very much

   men fancy her rotten

Other Word Forms

• rottenness noun
• rottenly adverb
• half-rotten adjective
• unrotten adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of rotten¹

1175–1225; Middle English roten < Old Norse rotinn, past participle of an unrecorded verb meaning “to rot”

Word History and Origins

Origin of rotten¹

C13: from Old Norse rottin ; related to Old English rotian to _rot ¹

Example Sentences

Toxic hydrogen sulfide escapes from nearby wells, giving the air the smell of “burnt rotten eggs,” Campos said.

From Salon

Using an air-quality monitor nearly half a mile from the river in the community of Nestor, scientists found extremely high levels of hydrogen sulfide, a gas linked to sewage that smells like rotten eggs.

From Los Angeles Times

"I know how much he loves me, that he's willing to go through a rotten, stinky compost pile," she told CTV with a laugh.

From BBC

Though her basic needs were being met, Samia - an asylum seeker from Tanzania – said "very cramped" conditions inside her East Sussex hotel and sometimes rotten food were making her physically weaker.

From BBC

I’ve eaten stinky socks, rotten eggs and old bandages — thanks to a cruel Jelly Belly Bean Boozled challenge in junior high.

From Salon

Related Words

• corrupt 
• disgusting 
• moldy 
• noxious 
• overripe 
• putrid 
• rancid 
• rotting www.thesaurus.com
• sour 
• spoiled 
• stale