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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Relevance

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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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

Synonyms & Similar Words
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 After his death in 1934, Schilling’s spice company merged with McCormick’s, a Baltimore firm, which remains a leading international food business. — Paul Rogers, Mercury News, 13 Aug. 2026 The death of an incarcerated individual is traumatic for all involved. — Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 13 Aug. 2026 Swathes of those still standing are marked for death, their fate written like braille in the form of scores of tiny holes — no thicker than a dot left by a ballpoint pen — beneath the bark. — Jack Bantock, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2026 This is the second death that occurred during Tuesday's storms. — Jeramie Bizzle, CBS News, 13 Aug. 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
  • Over time, the same system that profited from his brilliance proved indifferent to his vulnerability, and his life became reduced to a singular narrative of addiction and demise.
    — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 10 Aug. 2026
  • The Tribune played a key role in the demise of Nixon’s presidency.
    — Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of demise
Noun
  • Ronald Exantus was released from Kentucky Department of Corrections custody July 29 after completing the sentence imposed for assaulting Logan Tipton's father and sisters during the 2015 home invasion that left the 6-year-old dead.
    — Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Fire crews soon pronounced the driver of the Ram dead at the scene.
    — Cecilio Padilla, CBS News, 31 July 2026
Definition of dead
Noun
  • Add to that simple arithmetic of spouses, divorces and outlier legal risks, and one of the primary forces for the dissolution of previous wealth or company control becomes self-evident.
    — Radu Magdin, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Goodman laments the dissolution of the Creative Alliance and the incendiary action of its former participants.
    — Kyle MacNeill, Rolling Stone, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of dissolution
Noun
  • His lack of participation in tournaments following the event may have been his downfall in his attempt to make the playoffs.
    — Tim Corlett, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2026
  • For one, the Tea Party folks weren't trying to bring about the downfall of Western civilization and the United States of America.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of downfall
Noun
  • But dark jokes about a nearly half-century-old massacre have a way of obscuring its continuing relevance.
    — James Kirchick, The Atlantic, 13 Aug. 2026
  • But the news conference also revealed that Tuesday's massacre was not law enforcement's first encounter with Williams.
    — Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of massacre
Noun
  • Cold comfort for Gaza’s two million residents, who remain shut out of the conversation and all but powerless to determine their fate.
    — Andrew Carey, CNN Money, 10 Aug. 2026
  • The debut feature of Dutch-Egyptian filmmaker Ashgan El-Hamus, the film follows the fate of Al Amal, a pregnant young woman living with her extended family in the Egyptian village of Al Baraneya.
    — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of fate
Noun
  • Today, there is a growing sense that embracing mortality can be a component of wellness.
    — Alexandra Schwartz, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026
  • According to the announcement, the semi-acoustic record draws inspiration from reflective touchstones in Young’s catalog such as Comes a Time and Prairie Wind, with lyrics that grapple with memory, mortality and renewal.
    — SPIN Staff, SPIN, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of mortality
Noun
  • Beyond the ticking fee, Paramount would owe WBD a $7 billion termination fee (the largest in corporate history) if the deal falls apart unless Warner’s board, led by CEO David Zaslav, agrees to renegotiate.
    — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Now, because of the Supreme Court’s June decision, judges will likely act in the coming weeks to allow the Administration to carry on with its terminations.
    — Dara Lind, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of termination

Phrases Containing death

Browse Nearby Words

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 16 Aug. 2026.

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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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