moribund

adjective

mor·​i·​bund ˈmȯr-ə-(ˌ)bənd How to pronounce moribund (audio)
ˈmär-
1
: being in the state of dying : approaching death
in the moribund patient deepening stupor and coma are the usual preludes to deathNorman Cameron
2
: being in a state of inactivity or obsolescence
a moribund virus
a moribund volcano
prune the moribund files from your disk foreverD. S. Janal
moribundity noun

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Moribund Gets Less Literal

Moribund is still sometimes used in its original literal sense of "approaching death", but it's much more often used to describe things. When the economy goes bad, we hear about moribund mills and factories and towns; the economy itself may even be called moribund. Critics may speak of the moribund state of poetry, or lament the moribund record or newspaper industry.

Examples of moribund in a Sentence

an actor who is trying to revive his moribund career The peace talks are moribund.
Recent Examples on the Web Terrified of sinking into irrelevancy, the moribund institution of Major League Baseball recently made some dramatic changes. Joe Queenan, WSJ, 14 Sep. 2023 But the century and a half after the Civil War, brought no insurrections, and Section Three lay moribund, an object of only historical interest. Time, 15 Aug. 2023 As a result, no single party or coalition immediately gained enough parliamentary seats to govern, thrusting Spain into a familiar political muddle and giving new life to Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, who only days ago seemed moribund. Jason Horowitz, New York Times, 24 July 2023 Making its victory all the sweeter was the fact that the paper, moribund since 2016, had just been revived in 2021 as an independent publication. Paul Farhi, Washington Post, 31 May 2023 The burst of activity is kindling hope that the moribund IPO market might be poised for a revival. Globe Columnist, BostonGlobe.com, 28 Aug. 2023 His campaign has been declared hopelessly moribund more often than the Fast & Furious franchise. Noah Rothman, National Review, 23 Aug. 2023 Glamour had become almost moribund in its consistency. ELLE Decor, 21 Aug. 2023 In addition to its guest rooms, the Gifford House’s three bars, long an essential part of Provincetown’s social ecosystem, had collapsed into a decaying and moribund state. Christopher Muther, BostonGlobe.com, 24 Aug. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'moribund.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin moribundus, from mori to die — more at murder

First Known Use

circa 1721, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of moribund was circa 1721

Dictionary Entries Near moribund

Cite this Entry

“Moribund.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/moribund. Accessed 2 Oct. 2023.

Kids Definition

moribund

adjective
mor·​i·​bund ˈmȯr-ə-(ˌ)bənd How to pronounce moribund (audio)
ˈmär-
: nearly dead

Medical Definition

moribund

adjective
mor·​i·​bund ˈmȯr-ə-(ˌ)bənd, ˈmär- How to pronounce moribund (audio)
: being in the state of dying : approaching death
in the moribund patient deepening stupor and coma are the usual preludes to deathNorman Cameron

More from Merriam-Webster on moribund

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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