die-off

1 of 2

noun

: 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

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
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.
Noun
That pressure may trigger a tipping point with mass tree die-offs. Alexandra A Phillips, The Conversation, 13 Oct. 2025 Luckily, this practice can still be done in the window that succeeds late fall die-off and precedes a heavy freeze. Anthony Reardon, Kansas City Star, 20 Sep. 2025
Verb
Former Tropical Storm Jerry died off Saturday afternoon. Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 12 Oct. 2025 There is no treatment for EHD, but spread of the disease usually slows when the fall ushers in colder weather and the insect population starts to die off. Sophie Hartley, IndyStar, 9 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for die-off

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1936, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1697, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of die-off was in 1697

Browse Nearby Words

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Cite this Entry

“Die-off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/die-off. Accessed 16 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

die-off

noun
ˈdī-ˌȯf
: a sudden sharp drop in the numbers of plants or animals in a group
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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