death

noun

ˈdeth How to pronounce death (audio)
Definition of deathnext
1
as in demise
the permanent stopping of all the vital bodily activities we were all saddened by the death of our friend

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in dead
the state of being dead death is one of the few constants in the universe

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in dissolution
the act of ceasing to exist the death of the Soviet economic system in the wake of the breakup of the USSR

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in downfall
something that is the cause of one's ultimate failure or loss of life that muscle car will be the death of him yet

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5
as in massacre
the killing of a large number of people thousands of soldiers were lost on the field of death

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of death While the cause of Miller Gardner's death remains unconfirmed, the incident is a reminder of the health risks travelers could face. — Ashley J. Dimella Fox News, FOXNews.com, 29 Mar. 2025 An official cause of death has not been announced until an autopsy can be made. — Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 29 Mar. 2025 Jennifer Lopez celebrates Selena movie's 25th anniversary: 'Selena and her family mean so much to me' Selena was among the most successful Mexican American musicians in pop history at the time of her death at 23. — Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 28 Mar. 2025 The strong winds Monday are indirectly related to the severe weather that struck the Midwest and South over the weekend, causing many deaths. — Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 17 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for death
Recent Examples of Synonyms for death
  1. demise
  2. dead
  3. dissolution
  4. downfall
  5. massacre
  6. fate
  7. mortality
  8. termination
Noun
  • Republicans celebrated the demise of Black Lives Matter Plaza, which was completely dismantled and repainted.
    — Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 1 Apr. 2025
  • Some experts believe that cutting personnel at Social Security will hasten the demise of the whole system.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 24 Mar. 2025
Definition of demise
Noun
  • That’s because the Romans mainly cremated their dead until the third century.
    — Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 8 Apr. 2025
  • The Congolese government puts the number of dead so far at 7,000.
    — Michela Wrong, Foreign Affairs, 3 Mar. 2025
Definition of dead
Noun
  • Every good film is, to some degree, a transporting experience—a dissolution of boundaries between here and there, then and now.
    — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 3 Apr. 2025
  • As President Donald Trump pursues the dissolution of the Department of Education, local leaders are scrambling to understand how staffing cuts and the potential loss of federal funding will affect schools.
    — Jennah Pendleton, Sacbee.com, 28 Mar. 2025
Definition of dissolution
Noun
  • And maybe the downfall is that Lex has decided what's right between those two and which should win out, whereas Superman and Lois are in a constant battle about what is right, so they each get checked by the other.
    — Mike Miller, EW.com, 2 Apr. 2025
  • His season-ending injury helped the Cowboys’ downfall in 2024.
    — Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 30 Mar. 2025
Definition of downfall
Noun
  • In 2007, the British journalist David Litchfield wrote in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung that guests at a ball at Schloss Rechnitz were invited to shoot Jews for sport—a claim disputed by historians, who do not dispute that the massacre took place.
    — James Wood, New Yorker, 7 Apr. 2025
  • Trump got a temporary reprieve when the markets closed Friday at 4 p.m., but expect the massacre to resume this morning at 9:30 when the opening bell rings at the New York Stock Exchange.
    — New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 7 Apr. 2025
Definition of massacre
Noun
  • Jason Isaacs Has Tricks Up His Sleeves The actor discussed accents, the awkwardness of onscreen nudity and his character’s surprising fate in the season finale.
    — Alexis Soloski, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2025
  • However, the support crews would meet the same, grim fate.
    — Gianluca Mezzofiore, CNN Money, 7 Apr. 2025
Definition of fate
Noun
  • The effort failed largely due to high mortality and low reproductive success.
    — Natalia Jaramillo, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Mar. 2025
  • To stave off the depression, cognitive decline and early mortality that can come with social isolation, Dr. Richter recommended that retirees replace workplace socializing with routine in-person or virtual gatherings.
    — Mohana Ravindranath, New York Times, 26 Mar. 2025
Definition of mortality
Noun
  • The termination notices, sent out starting around 9 p.m. on Friday to more than 200 USIP employees, are effective immediately, according to five USIP employees who received the letters.
    — Emily Feng, NPR, 30 Mar. 2025
  • This termination policy subjected tribal nations and reservation lands to state jurisdiction and relocated at least 200,000 Native people from tribal lands to urban centers.
    — Alyssa Kreikemeier, The Conversation, 28 Mar. 2025
Definition of termination

Phrases Containing death

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deasil
death
death's-head
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Cite this Entry

“Death.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/death. Accessed 11 Apr. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on death

Nglish: Translation of death for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about death

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