Romló

Romló is a Hungarian adjective describing something that is in the process of decaying, deteriorating, or declining. It can refer to physical matter as well as to more abstract conditions or situations.

The word is derived from the verb romlik, meaning to decay or spoil. Related forms include romlás, the noun for deterioration or decline, and romlott, the past participle meaning decayed or spoiled.

In usage, romló can attach to a wide range of nouns. Examples include romló falazat (deteriorating masonry), romló egészség (declining health), and romló gazdasági vagy társadalmi conditions. The term is also common in figurative contexts, such as romló értékek or romló közállapot, where it signals moral, ethical, or institutional decline.

Distinctions and related terms: rothadó primarily conveys organic decay (rotting), while romló is broader and can describe non-organic deterioration as well as gradual decline over time. The form romlott denotes something that has already decayed or spoiled, whereas romló emphasizes an ongoing process.

See also: romlás, romlott, rothadás, romlási folyamat. Romló appears regularly in descriptive writing, journalism, and discourse addressing aging, degeneration, or crisis, serving as a neutral descriptor of deterioration in various domains.