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 mortality
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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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 Representatives for Mandell’s family confirmed his death to The Times. — Anthony Solorzano, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026 But his quest also resulted in a number of deaths, including Arthur Williams (Graham Greene), an innocent man who was shot and killed in his own home as a direct result of Lee’s lack of restraint. — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 14 Oct. 2026 The island, known for its luxury beach resorts, last experienced similar unrest in 1999, when the death of a popular musician in police custody sparked days of rioting. — ABC News, 14 Oct. 2026 The school's message did not say how Gebur died or detail the circumstances of any of the deaths. — Eric Henderson, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026 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
  • Above all, the election could herald the political demise of Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving PM, who has led the nation for all but 18 months since 2009.
    — The Week UK, TheWeek, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Columnist Bill Plaschke wrote how a team with seemingly every advantage fell short, beat writer Maddie Lee documented what led to the demise, while columnist Bill Shaikin provided updates to several questions on the team’s future.
    — Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of demise
Noun
  • According to Wayúu custom, only women are allowed to touch their dead.
    — Nathan Jaccard, Miami Herald, 5 Oct. 2026
  • In the spring just before or just as new growth emerges, remove the mulch and cut the remaining dead stems down to ground level or a few inches above the soil line.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of dead
Noun
  • Hughes stayed with the band for three albums and, after Deep Purple’s dissolution, briefly rejoined Trapeze and released a solo album, Play Me Out, in 1977.
    — Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Amuom said the dissolution had contributed to the insecurity by leaving key local government posts vacant.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of dissolution
Noun
  • Nearby Ilwaco has also been on the receiving end of the industrial downfall.
    — Saige Miller, NPR, 11 Oct. 2026
  • This latest development in Andrew and Fergie’s downfall follows other reports indicating bad blood between them.
    — Allison DeGrushe, StyleCaster, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of downfall
Noun
  • Authorities said Willeford, who lived near the church, grabbed his own gun and shot and chased the gunman, helping to stop the massacre.
    — Holly Yan, CNN Money, 16 Oct. 2026
  • In the coming years, the massacre generation is on track to become part of the largest voting bloc in the country.
    — Jillian Turanovic, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of massacre
Noun
  • Vasilescu says Converse could meet the same fate, given its recent performance and the parent company’s need to focus on fixing other ailing parts of its business, like sales in China and its Jordan brand.
    — Phil Wahba, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2026
  • But in recent weeks, immigrants from a few nations appear to have escaped that fate.
    — Lauren Kaori Gurley, Washington Post, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of fate
Noun
  • Similarly, on paper, Klara and the Sun is a great idea, a way for adults to explain mortality to their kids while bracing themselves for redundancy.
    — Damon Wise, Deadline, 15 Oct. 2026
  • In 2025, the Earth passed its first climate tipping point, as rising ocean temperatures, acidification, overfishing, and pollution are combining to cause coral bleaching and mortality.
    — Simmone Shah, Time, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of mortality
Noun
  • Wrongful termination claims in the tech world are common immediately preceding large funding rounds as investors seek to optimize financial metrics.
    — Senior Television, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Then, discover the cryptography protecting it, map TLS termination points, understand certificate and PKI dependencies, identify legacy systems, test hybrid mechanisms and measure what’s actually being negotiated.
    — Scott Alldridge, Forbes.com, 16 Oct. 2026
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 20 Oct. 2026.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about death

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