1 B1 neutral
Of organic material: to decompose gradually until nothing remains.
"The fallen tree had been rotting away in the forest for decades."
inseparable
rot away
B1 neutral inseparable intransitive
To decompose or decay completely and slowly over time.
In plain English
To go bad and fall apart little by little, like old wood or food left out.
What does "rot away" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 idiomatic informal
Figuratively, to decline or deteriorate slowly and completely.
"He felt he was just rotting away in that dead-end job with no future."
inseparable
Usage tip
Typically used of organic materials (wood, leaves, teeth, flesh). Can be used figuratively to describe institutions or relationships declining slowly. The 'away' particle emphasises total or near-total destruction.
Words that pair with "rot away"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
wood teeth leaves body timber foundations
How to conjugate "rot away"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
rot away
I/you/we/they
3rd person
rots away
he/she/it
Past simple
roted away
yesterday
Past participle
roted away
have + pp
-ing form
roting away
continuous
Hear "rot away" in the wild
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