SINCE 1828
dictionary
thesaurus

death march

noun
Save Word

Definition of death march

: a march (as of prisoners of war) in which those unable to go on are left to die as they fall

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

  • More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
  • Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
  • Advanced search features
  • Ad free!

First Known Use of death march

1861, in the meaning defined above

Learn More About death march

Time Traveler for death march

Time Traveler

The first known use of death march was in 1861

See more words from the same year

Dictionary Entries Near death march

deathly

death march

death mask

See More Nearby Entries 

Statistics for death march

Cite this Entry

“Death march.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/death%20march. Accessed 7 Jul. 2022.

Style: MLA
MLACheck Mark Icon ChicagoCheck Mark Icon APACheck Mark Icon Merriam-WebsterCheck Mark Icon

WORD OF THE DAY

inscrutable

Listen to the pronunciation of inscrutable

See Definitions and Examples »

Test Your Vocabulary

Odd Habits and Quirks

  • image1926873504
  • Which of the following best describes an easily irritated person?
True or False

Test your knowledge - and maybe learn something along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ
Universal Daily Crossword

A daily challenge for crossword fanatics.

TAKE THE QUIZ
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play
Ask the Editors
Word Games