Cheese goes mouldy if you don't put it in the fridge.
Source: tatoeba (2194925)
Mouldy
/ˈmoʊldi/
Synonyms for "mouldy" (502 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (101)
accommodateaccommodate withaccordacresadaptadapt toadenovirusadjustadjust toaerobeaerobic bacteriaaesthetic formagedagree withalgaealluvionalluviumamoebaanaerobeanaerobic bacteria
Show 79 more words
anatomyancientanimusantediluvianaptitudearable landarchetypearchitectonicsarchitecturearomaarrangementart formassembleassimilate toattributeautophytebacillusbacteriabacteriumbadgebe guided bybeanbendbentbiasbiodegradabilitybiodegradationblastblightblock outbloodbody-buildbrackenbrandbreak upbreakupbreedbrown algaebugbuildbuildingcachetcancercankercariouscarvecastcastingcharactercharacteristiccharacteristicschime in withchiselclanclayclimberclodcoccuscolorcomplexioncomplycomply withcomposecompositioncompoundconcoctconfervaconfervoidconfigurationconformconformationconstituentsconstitutionconstructconstructioncorrectcorrespondcorrosioncorrupt
Strong matches (150)
corruptioncrasiscreatecreationcreepercrumblecrumble into dustcrustcutdecaydecayeddecayingdecomposedecomposeddecomposingdecompositiondegradabilitydegradationdenominationdescription
Show 128 more words
designationdevisedharmadiathesisdiatomdiedifferentiadifferentialdilapidationdirtdisciplinedisease-producing microorganismdisintegratedisintegrationdisorganizationdispositiondissolutiondistinctive featuredry landdry rotdustearmarkeartheccentricityechovirusectocarpalesefformelaborateenteroviruserectethosevolveextrudefabricfabricatefabricationfall in withfall into decayfall to piecesfashionfashioningfeatherfeaturefernfesterfiberfigurationfigurefilterable virusfitfixflavorfollowforgeforgingformformalizeformatformationformulatefoulfoundframefreeholdfruits and vegetablesfucusfudge togetherfungifungusgangrenegear togeniusgenregenusgermget upgetupglebego badgo bygo to piecesgraingram-negative bacteriagram-positive bacteriagrapevinegrasslandgreen algaegroundgulfweedgusthabithackhallmarkharmonizeherbheterophytehewhuehumorhumorsidiocrasyidiosyncrasyilkimpressimpressioninclinationindexinditeindividualisminner formintaglioivykelpkeynotekidneykinkindkneadknock outlabellandlandholdingslastlay outlayoutleaninglegumelentil
Related words (251)
lianalichenlick into shapelinelineamentslithosphereliverwortlotmakemake conformmake upmakeupmakingmannermannerismmanufacturemarginal landmarkmarkingmarl
Show 226 more words
matrixmaturemeetmental setmettlemicrobemicroorganismmildewmildewedmindmind-setmintmodalitymodemodelmoldmoldermoldingmoldsmortifymossmothmoth and rustmushroommustmustynaturenecrosenegativenonfilterable virusnumberobserveodorold-fashionedorganic structureorganismorganizationoutdatedoxidationoxidizationparasiteparasitic plantparticularitypatch togetherpathogenpatternpatterningpeapeculiaritypersuasionperthophytepestphaeophyceaephylumphysiquephytoplanktonpicornaviruspiece togetherplanplanktonic algaeplant familiesplatonic formplatonic ideapredilectionpredispositionprefabricatepreferenceprepareproclivityproduceproductionpropensitypropertyprosaicprototypeprotozoaprotozoonpuffballpulsepunchput togetherput upputrefyputresceputrescentputridqualityquirkraceraiserancidrankranklereal estatereal propertyrearreconcilerectifyred algaeregionregolithreovirusresolutionrhinovirusrickettsiarockweedrotrottenrottingrough outroughcastroughhewrub off cornersrun uprustsaprophytesargassosargassumsavorsculptsculpturesea lentilsea mosssea wracksealseaweedsetset upsettlesetupshapeshapingshoe lastsignificant formsingularityslantsmacksmutsodsoilsomatotypesortspecialtyspeciessphacelatespirillumspiritspirochetespoilspoilagespoiledspoiltsporestalestampstaphylococcusstraightenstrainstreakstreptococcusstripestructurestructuringstuffystylesubaerial depositsubsoilsucculentsuchnesssuitsuppuratesystemtailortainttally withtangtastetectonicstempertemperamenttemplatetendencytenorterraterra firmaterrainterritorytexturethallogensthe countrythe like ofthe likes ofthermoformtissuetoadstooltokentonetopsoiltraittribetricktrypanosometurnturn of mindtwisttypeunusedvarietyveinvetchvibriovineviruswarpwarp and woofwayweavewebwhomp upwoodlandworkwormwortwrackwriteyield
Adjective(5 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: moldy, musty, accommodate, accommodate with, accord.
- Sentence evidence is available for mouldy, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, moby, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "mouldy".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "mouldy"
Keep "mouldy" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "mouldy" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "mouldy", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "mouldy" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
5 entriescultural descriptorfood qualityphysical propertysensory qualitystate of decay
More specific
7 entriesCollocations
5 entriesmouldy bookmouldy breadmouldy cheesemouldy odourmouldy storage
Inflections
2 entriesDerivations
2 entriessimilar
1 entriesSample sentences
12 total sentences available.
When Tom went to have breakfast, he found that all the bread had gone mouldy.
Source: tatoeba (3114947)
The bread was mouldy, but Tom ate it nevertheless.
Source: tatoeba (5300968)
The bread went mouldy.
Source: tatoeba (7922951)
Showing 4 of 12 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "mouldy"?
Closest matches include moldy, musty, accommodate, accommodate with, accord.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "mouldy"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.