die-off

1 of 2

noun

ˈdī-ˌȯf 

: a sudden sharp decline of a population of animals or plants that is not caused directly by human activity

die off

2 of 2

verb

ˈdī-ˈȯf 

died off; dying off; dies off

intransitive verb

: to die sequentially either singly or in numbers so that the total number is greatly diminished

Examples of die-off in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Dead sheep and bears strewn along the pavement have disturbed local residents for years, but ecologists fear the road may also cause a much slower and quieter die-off, with mountain lions inbreeding as they are cut off from other lions. — Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026

In Colorado, the staggering die-off of the majestic pines is difficult to stomach. — Jennifer Oldham, Denver Post, 8 Oct. 2026

Verb

Yam says scientists are bracing for a potential die off of California’s iconic kelp forests. — Justine Calma, The Verge, 6 Oct. 2026

Life goes on even as humanity dies off due to its own violence and lack of cooperation and care for others. — Eileen Hunt, Fortune, 28 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1936, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1697, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for die-off

• ashraf
• checkoff
• cutoff
• falloff
• handoff
• kickoff
• layoff
• liftoff
• markoff
• markov
• payoff
• playoff

Kids Definition

die-off

noun

ˈdī-ˌȯf

: a sudden sharp drop in the numbers of plants or animals in a group