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View definitions for death

death

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Example Sentences

So far, little is known publicly about the ransomware strain or the attackers involved in the infection, which began last Thursday, about 24 hours before the death occurred.

The best way to dampen the negative effects of the coronavirus pandemic — to prevent illness and death and to return the economy to normal — is to limit its spread.

New cases have declined markedly from the height of the pandemic in July and deaths have declined from the spring, when more than 1,500 people a day typically died.

Over time, though, the percentage of total deaths that have occurred in blue states has dropped.

If that were the country’s total, we would have seen the second-most number of deaths globally, trailing only Brazil.

I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.

Asia Bibi, as she is known, was arrested and sentenced to death.

The most notorious states are Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, where death is an acceptable legal remedy.

Father Joel Román Salazar died in a car crash in 2013; his death was ruled an accident, but the suspicion of foul play persists.

The death toll, which experts believe has been significantly undercut by secret burials, stands at 7,905.

This is the place where the Muscovite criminals are banished to, if they are not put to death.

Elyon is the name of an ancient Phœnician god, slain by his son El, no doubt the “first-born of death” in Job xviii.

Your sacrifice shall be the agony of agonies, the death of deaths, and yet you'll find yourself unable to resist.

Good is set against evil, and life against death: so also is the sinner against a just man.

For of sadness cometh death, and it overwhelmeth the strength, and the sorrow of the heart boweth down the neck.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is another word for death?

In its most common and literal senses, death refers to the end of life—the state of no longer being alive; to the process of dying (a prolonged death); or to the instance of a person dying (His death was tragic).

A somewhat formal (and blunt) synonym is demise. The word expiration is sometimes used, but usually sounds a bit literary or old-fashioned. The word end is sometimes used similarly, as in He finally met his end.

The word decease can be used as a noun meaning the same thing as death, but its adjective form deceased (meaning dead) is much more common.

Words for death used in formal, official contexts include fatality and casualty. In the context of crime, different types of death (and their causes) are given specific classifications, such as homicide and murder.

In terms like death and destruction, death refers to wide-scale loss of life. In a broader scientific context, the death of an entire species is called extinction.

In contrast with those who view death as the start of the afterlife (sometimes called the other side), some people view death as nonexistence or annihilation. Or, more dramatically, oblivion.

Death is sometimes used as the name for the personification of death, also called the Grim Reaper (or just the Reaper), Pale Death, or the Angel of Death.

The state of being subject to death is called mortality.

Death is also sometimes used figuratively to mean the end of something, as in The failure of the bill was seen as the death of tax reform. And speaking of taxes, they are said to be the only thing as certain as death.

For euphemisms and slang terms for death, see the next section.

What are some euphemisms for death?

Like other sensitive topics, there are many euphemisms for death (indirect, gentler, and less blunt ways of referring to it). Perhaps the most common euphemistic way of talking about a person’s death is to refer to it as their passing. Relatedly, pass, pass away, and pass on are all euphemisms for die. Taken literally, these terms can suggest that a person has passed over to the afterlife.

In the context of mourning someone’s death, it’s often referred to as a loss.

Many euphemisms for death liken it to sleep, including final repose, final rest, eternal rest, and eternal sleep.

There are also many, many slang terms used in the context of death. Many are metaphorical and whimsical, such as the end of the line or the great gig in the sky.

In a similarly irreverent tone, dying is sometimes called kicking the bucket (which is the basis of the term bucket list), biting the dust, buying the farm, or cashing in one’s chips, among other things.

Religiously oriented expressions include go to glory, go to one’s reward, and meet one’s maker, which suggests an afterlife like those envisioned in many religions, in which a person’s death is followed by judgment by a deity.

A more earthly way of referring to death is with the term the grave, as in It drove him to the grave, or with phrases that use the word grave, as in an early grave.

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On this page you'll find 66 synonyms, antonyms, and words related to death, such as: dying, decease, demise, expiration, loss of life, and passing.

From Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.

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