DYING Synonyms: 169 Similar and Opposite Words

dying 1 of 3

adjective

ˈdī-iŋ

Definition of dying

as in fallen

nearly dead we watered the dying plants just in time

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

dying

2 of 3

noun

as in death

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

dying

3 of 3

verb

present participle of die

as in perishing

to stop living the king died of old age after a long and fruitful reign

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in ending

to come to an end the storm died just as dawn was breaking over the horizon

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in failing

to stop functioning fortunately, when the engine died we were only two blocks from home

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

starting (up)

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 dying

Adjective

What’s the vibe for you, post-dying? — Sean T. Collins, Vulture, 22 June 2026 Garden centers aren't giving a refund for a dying or dead plant but rather a discount on a new purchase. — Lauren David, Southern Living, 17 Dec. 2025

Noun

Formal rites for the dying, already limited, were further truncated or skipped entirely. — Literary Hub, 28 Sep. 2026 Her sister, Lydia (Alejandra Flechner), accuses her of being a better caregiver to the dying than the living. — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 24 Sep. 2026 As many people who care for a dying loved one know all too well, the grieving process started for Bullock long before Randall died. — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 19 Aug. 2026 In contrast, those with all three conditions averaged just 17 years before developing dementia or dying. — Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 10 Aug. 2026 Advertisement In the final phase of dying—a period Barbara Karnes, a hospice nurse and educator since the 1970s, calls labor—many people become nonresponsive. — Angela Haupt, Time, 5 Aug. 2026 But does a basil plant covered in black spots mean its dying? — Heather Bien, The Spruce, 26 July 2026 Due to such discomfort – or for other reasons – people often delay making plans for their own dying process. — Jane Callahan, The Conversation, 14 July 2026 Tis hard to see the mighty prancing war horse, trampling the dying and dead beneath their merciless feet. — Rose Horowitch, The Atlantic, 8 July 2026

Verb

Inspectors also observed a dying adult cockroach on the floor nearby, two live adult cockroaches on a glue stick in a storage room, and a dead adult cockroach near the employee restroom entrance. — Sacbee.com, 2 Oct. 2026 The police do not record victims by race, but in a majority Black country with violence clustered in the townships, the map tells you who is dying. — Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 2 Oct. 2026 But the real value comes in the dying embers of games, when everyone on both sides of the field is exhausted — except the UCLA running backs. — Connor Dullinger, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026 Overall, patients who ate more sugar than average had about a 12% higher risk of dying after their transplants compared with those who didn’t consume as much. — Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2026 Not so for Cal, who meets soldier Olivier during the Napoleonic Wars and creates a paradox to keep him from dying on the battlefield… only for Olivier to disappear from the timeline entirely. — Literary Hub, 1 Oct. 2026 All three were rushed to Lincoln Hospital, where Quinones lingered in critical condition before dying five days later. — Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 1 Oct. 2026 From screenwriter Eric Champnella and set in 2008, Return to You follows a powerful but lonely female attorney (Lohan) who mistakenly receives a very emotional DVD sent by a dying woman to her husband (Golding). — Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 28 Sep. 2026 Carbon Monoxide and Smoke Detectors Nearly every homeowner recognizes the incessant chirp that indicates a dying battery in a carbon monoxide or smoke detector, but few know that the units themselves should be replaced after 7 to 10 years. — Kamron Sanders, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for dying

Adjective

Crab shells, whole and in pieces, turned up all over the school, to be swept away with the dust and fallen leaves and other litter, placed in a trash bag, and carried off behind the buildings to the incinerator.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Sep. 2026
Romaine said crews were clearing drains and chopping up fallen trees.

— Jesse Zanger, CBS News, 27 Sep. 2026

Definition of fallen

Noun

The University of Iowa in March estimated by the end of 2026 there will be 21,700 new cancer diagnoses in the state and 6,400 new cancer deaths.

— Gabrielle M. Etzel, The Washington Examiner, 8 Oct. 2026
Each of the six main suspects get their chance to give their version of events on the day of Jodie’s death, effectively supplying their own alibis.

— Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of death

Verb

This summer has been a deadly one in Europe, with over 10,000 people perishing in the extreme heat over just a few weeks.

— Morgan Simon, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026
Julie Chen Moonves shares her thoughts on that wild Big Brother premiere, including Rachel Reilly perishing in a volcano.

— Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 10 July 2026

Definition of perishing

Verb

And most experts don’t think there will be much relief for homebuyers in the next year or so, absent some big changes, such as the war in Iran ending or oil prices dramatically falling.

— Zach Halaschak, The Washington Examiner, 5 Oct. 2026
That set up Ollie Gordon II’s TD run late in the third quarter, ending Miami’s 15-possession touchdown drought.

— Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of ending

Verb

By merging the two failing car companies, Marchionne created the seventh-largest vehicle manufacturer in the world, increasing Fiat’s value more than tenfold.

— Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026
According to RadarOnline, the King was left worried after failing to connect with his longtime friend Sir Ranulph Fiennes, an explorer who’s withdrawn from the spotlight amid his Parkinson’s disease diagnosis.

— Allison DeGrushe, StyleCaster, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of failing

Adjective

To assist Noah, Sinestro has also forged a new lantern from the water on this dead alien planet — imbued with Zoe’s fear toxins — causing golden cracks in the object’s surface.

— Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026
Urker, who also fathered a baby girl, Aurora, with Blanchard, was found dead Thursday in Raceland, Louisiana.

— Payton Turkeltaub, Variety, 4 Oct. 2026

Definition of dead

Noun

And its sudden demise comes amidst a continuing decline in funding for cultural and scientific institutions.

— Andrew Stelzer, NPR, 3 Oct. 2026
In recent weeks, some leading AI firms have warned that their models’ coding abilities could foment humanity’s demise.

— Shun Graves, Chicago Tribune, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of demise

Verb

People have moved so aggressively along the learning curve that those challenges are falling by the wayside.

— Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 7 Oct. 2026
Paired with an all-leather ensemble, pants and pointed-toe pumps included, the hair screamed ’80s rom-com star, the curls falling toward her face in a single swift motion.

— Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of falling

Cite this Entry

Style

“Dying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dying. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of dying

adjective

noun

verb

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