dying

adjective

dy·​ing ˈdī-iŋ How to pronounce dying (audio)
1
a
: approaching death
a dying man
He had come back three years earlier to care for his dying mother.Jeff Tietz
: gradually ceasing to be
the dying day
a dying fire
b
: having reached an advanced or ultimate stage of decay or disuse
a dying civilization
a dying tradition
2
: of, relating to, or occurring at the time of death or dying
recorded his dying words
promised to fulfill her dying wishes

Examples of dying in a Sentence

we watered the dying plants just in time

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of dying was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near dying

Cite this Entry

“Dying.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dying. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

dying

present participle of die

Medical Definition

dying

pres part of die

More from Merriam-Webster on dying

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