expire

verb

ex·​pire ik-ˈspī(-ə)r 

usually for intransitive sense 3 and transitive sense 2 ek-

expired; expiring

intransitive verb

1

: to breathe one's last breath : die

2

: to come to an end: such as

a

: to exceed its period of validity

The contract will expire next month.

b

: to pass its expiration date (see expiration date sense 2)

This milk has expired.

" … when drugs expire, you can't just leave these things lying around."

—Ed Haislmaier

3

: to emit the breath

transitive verb

1

obsolete : conclude

2

: to breathe out from or as if from the lungs

3

archaic : emit

Synonyms of expire

• end
• cease
• stop
• conclude
• halt
• terminate
• pass
• die

Examples of expire in a Sentence

My driver's license has expired.

She expired after a long illness.

measuring the volume of air expired from the lungs

Recent Examples on the Web

Their main ask was to extend health insurance subsidies that will expire after 2025, skyrocketing premiums across the country for enrollees in the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. —Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 13 Nov. 2025

The tax cut is set to expire at the end of the year. —Daniel S. Levine, PEOPLE, 13 Nov. 2025

Behn has pledged to work to make health care more affordable, beginning with extending marketplace insurance tax credits that are set to expire at the end of December. —Vivian Jones, Nashville Tennessean, 13 Nov. 2025

The 35-year-old Bertelsmann executive board member will officially succeed Thomas Rabe on January 1, 2027, after Rabe’s contract expires on December 31, 2026, marking the end of his 15-year tenure as Chairman and CEO. —Jem Aswad, Variety, 13 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Middle French or Latin; Anglo-French espirer to breathe out, from Latin exspirare, from ex- + spirare to breathe

First Known Use

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

Rhymes for expire

• admire
• afire
• aspire
• backfire
• esquire
• haywire
• hellfire
• inquire
• inspire
• newswire
• perspire
• rehire

Kids Definition

expire

verb

ex·​pire ik-ˈspī(ə)r 

usually for sense 3 ek-

expired; expiring

1

: to breathe one's last breath : die

2

: to come to an end : be no longer in force

this offer expires March 1

my driver's license has expired

3

a

: to let the breath out

b

: to breathe out from or as if from the lungs

Medical Definition

expire

verb

ex·​pire

ik-ˈspī(ə)r, usually for vi 2 and vt ek-

expired; expiring

intransitive verb

1

: to breathe one's last breath : die

2

: to emit the breath

transitive verb

: to breathe out from or as if from the lungs

the basal metabolism test … measures the amount of carbon dioxide expired by the lungs

—J. D. Ratcliff