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.

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.