death

noun \ ˈdeth \

|Updated on: 9 Jul 2018

Examples: death in a Sentence

Definition of death

1 a : a permanent cessation of all vital (see vital 2a) functions : the end of life

The cause of death has not been determined.

managed to escape death

prisoners were put to death

death threats

— compare brain death

b : an instance of dying

a disease causing many deaths

lived there until her death

2 a : the cause or occasion of loss of life

drinking was the death of him

b : a cause of ruin

the slander that was death to my character
—Wilkie Collins

The drought was death to the farm.

3 capitalized, folklore : the destroyer of life represented usually as a skeleton with a scythe

when death comes to take me away

4 : the state of being no longer alive : the state of being dead

5 a : the passing or destruction of something inanimate

the death of vaudeville

b : extinction

the death of the dinosaurs

6 law : civil death

7 : slaughter

death and destruction

8 Christian Science : the lie of life in matter : that which is unreal and untrue

— at death's door

: close to death : critically ill

— to death

: beyond endurance : excessively

bored to death

scared to death of spiders

I am sick to death of hearing your excuses.

Most high rollers prefer Atlantic City and Las Vegas, where they are comped to death and have more diversions.
—William G. Flanagan et al.

See death defined for English-language learners

See death defined for kids

Examples of death in a Sentence

birth, life, and eventual death
The newspaper did not report the cause of death.
People around the world mourned his death.
The accident resulted in two deaths.
The number of deaths from cancer is rising.
He died a violent death.
There has been a death in the family.
The general met his death on the battlefield.
the death of a marriage
Death could be seen lurking in the corner of the painting.

Recent Examples of death from the Web

On December 21st 1908 Marion Gilchrist, a wealthy spinster, was bludgeoned to death with a blunt instrument.

— The Economist, "When Arthur Conan Doyle cried “J’Accuse…!”," 7 July 2018
All three victims were found shot to death on the back porch of their house.

— PEOPLE.com, "Woman's Ex-Husband Targets Her in Murder-Suicide After She Repeatedly Asked for Protection Orders," 5 July 2018
Aaron Gibbons, 31, was mauled to death Tuesday on Sentry Island, about six miles from Arviat, a hamlet of some 2,600 people on the western shore of Hudson Bay in Nunavut.

— doug stanglin, USA TODAY, "Dad, mauled to death by polar bear, hailed as a hero by blocking path to his kids," 5 July 2018
Dzhokhar was convicted for his role in the Marathon attack and sentenced to death in 2015.

— travis andersen, BostonGlobe.com, "Lawyers for Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev want the Todashev tapes," 5 July 2018
In March, Sandeep Sharma, another journalist, was crushed to death by a garbage truck in Madhya Pradesh state in central India.

— ashok sharma, Fox News, "Media watchdog urges India to protect journalists," 4 July 2018
Taylor Force, a West Point graduate and army veteran, was in Israel on a Vanderbilt University graduate program for global entrepreneurship in 2016 when he was stabbed to death by a terrorist.

— Jewish Journal, "Israel passes law to cut funds over 'pay to slay' policy," 3 July 2018
Jones, meanwhile, put up a post of her own, asking people to pray for a 92-year-old man who’d almost choked to death.

— amy lavalley, Post-Tribune, "Choking victim reunites with lifesaver nurse at Valparaiso restaurant: 'Because of you, I'm still alive'," 3 July 2018
He was captured during a raid into Union territory and sentenced to death, but his execution was stayed by President Abraham Lincoln.

— phillip m. bailey, The Courier-Journal, "John Castleman statue isn't a Confederate monument, Greg Fischer says," 3 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'death.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of death

Middle English deeth, from Old English dēath; akin to Old Norse dauthi death, deyja to die — more at die

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

death Synonyms

DEATH Defined for English Language Learners

death

noun

Definition of death for English Language Learners

: the end of life : the time when someone or something dies
: the ending of a particular person's life
: the permanent end of something that is not alive : the ruin or destruction of something

DEATH Defined for Kids

death

noun \ ˈdeth \

Definition of death for Students

1 : the end or ending of life

2 : the cause of loss of life

Drinking will be the death of him.

3 : the state of being dead

He was more famous in death than in life.

4 : ²ruin 1, extinction

DVDs meant the death of videotape.

—

deathlike

\-ˌlīk\ adjective

— to death

: ¹very 1, extremely

We were scared to death.

Medical Dictionary

death

noun \ ˈdeth \

medical Definition of death

1 : the irreversible cessation of all vital functions especially as indicated by permanent stoppage of the heart, respiration, and brain activity : the end of life — see brain death

2 : the cause or occasion of loss of life