Meaning & use
moulder
Last updated
Meanings
verbintransitiveBritish
to decay slowly, especially by becoming soft, covered with mold, or breaking down over time.
Grammar: No object; often used with 'away' or 'in'.
Patterns
- moulder away
- moulder in something
The old books were left to moulder in the damp basement.
Without repairs, the wooden fence will moulder away within a few years.
Fallen leaves moulder on the forest floor, returning nutrients to the soil.
nouncountableBritishtechnical
a person who shapes or makes things by pouring hot liquid metal or plastic into a mold.
Grammar: Countable noun; plural 'moulders'. Often used with 'a' or 'the'.
Patterns
- a moulder in a factory
- work as a moulder
He worked as a moulder in a foundry, shaping metal parts.
The moulder carefully poured the molten metal into the cast.
Experienced moulders are in demand in the automotive industry.
Word forms
| third person singular | moulders |
|---|---|
| past tense | mouldered |
| past participle | mouldered |
| -ing form | mouldering |
| plural | moulders |
Common combinations
- moulder away
- The abandoned house slowly mouldered away.
- moulder in the ground
- The roots began to moulder in the wet ground.
- moulder in a foundry
- He learned to moulder in a foundry before starting his own workshop.
Synonyms and how they differ
- decay
- A more general word for breaking down; 'moulder' specifically suggests mold or dampness.
- rot
- Similar but often stronger and used for organic matter; 'moulder' can also apply to things left unused.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: moulder or molder? moulder or smoulder?
moulder vs molder
The American spelling of the same word; use 'molder' in US English.
moulder vs smoulder
Means to burn slowly without a flame; different from decaying.
Practice
Choose the correct sentence using 'moulder'.
Choose one answer.
'Moulder' is intransitive, so it does not take an object. It is used with 'in' to show location. The other options incorrectly use it as a transitive verb.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “moulder”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.