kiss of death
noun phrase
: something (such as an act or association) ultimately causing ruin
The movie has a G rating, which is almost a kiss of death. Last year, fewer than 2% of new films were rated G, and nearly all of those were animated.—
Sports Illustrated
—usually used with theSports IllustratedNot long ago, when I proposed to my agent that she champion a book of mine as a work of literature instead of trying to present it as a "Sixties memoir," she told me, with a rueful laugh, that in publishing circles nowadays the "L" word is the kiss of death.—Joel Agee
Joel Agee… a faraway region whose populations are so deeply anti-Western that any government cooperation with America can be the kiss of death …—Alan Tonelson
Alan TonelsonExamples of kiss of death in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Yeah, rinse and repeat, only this time Andreina’s interest in Jeremiah is actually reciprocated, which turns out to be the kiss of death.
—Kathleen Walsh, Vulture, 25 June 2025
The bill will easily pass the Senate and become law but this will be the kiss of death politically for the GOP in the midterms.
—Kate Plummer, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 May 2025
Consumers might argue that sustained price declines would be a good thing — i.e. deflation — although investors know that’s the kiss of death for markets.
—Bret Kenwell, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2025
Everywhere else, incumbency seems to have become the electoral kiss of death.
—Moisés Naím, The Atlantic, 25 Mar. 2025
And the fact of the matter is that, just in and of itself, can be the kiss of death.
—Nick Newman, IndieWire, 7 Mar. 2025
High financial projections are often a quiet kiss of death for legislation, and lawmakers have long griped that the estimates can be artificially inflated to sideline bills.
—Seth Klamann, The Denver Post, 29 Jan. 2025
For some wrestlers, a growth spurt is the kiss of death.
—Steve Brand, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Jan. 2025
Around the sixth season on Family Matters, David told me in quiet confidence staying on a TV show for more than four years as a head writer was the kiss of death.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 16 Jan. 2025
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Kathleen Walsh, Vulture, 25 June 2025
The bill will easily pass the Senate and become law but this will be the kiss of death politically for the GOP in the midterms.
—Kate Plummer, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 May 2025
Consumers might argue that sustained price declines would be a good thing — i.e. deflation — although investors know that’s the kiss of death for markets.
—Bret Kenwell, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2025
Everywhere else, incumbency seems to have become the electoral kiss of death.
—Moisés Naím, The Atlantic, 25 Mar. 2025
And the fact of the matter is that, just in and of itself, can be the kiss of death.
—Nick Newman, IndieWire, 7 Mar. 2025
High financial projections are often a quiet kiss of death for legislation, and lawmakers have long griped that the estimates can be artificially inflated to sideline bills.
—Seth Klamann, The Denver Post, 29 Jan. 2025
For some wrestlers, a growth spurt is the kiss of death.
—Steve Brand, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Jan. 2025
Around the sixth season on Family Matters, David told me in quiet confidence staying on a TV show for more than four years as a head writer was the kiss of death.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 16 Jan. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Kiss of death.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kiss%20of%20death. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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