How to Use do-or-die in a Sentence

do-or-die

adjective
  • The loser of the game must win a do-or-die game three days later to make the playoffs.
    Jr Radcliffe, Journal Sentinel, 6 Apr. 2023
  • The Wolves don’t expect that to wane with the Warriors in a do-or-die scenario Wednesday.
    Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 13 May 2025
  • Game 6 is do-or-die for Boston, which will be without Jayson Tatum.
    Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 May 2025
  • In a do-or-die road win over the New York Jets, Richardson threw for 272 yards and had three total touchdowns.
    Steven Louis Goldstein, The Athletic, 24 Nov. 2024
  • The Pacers will throw contrasting vibes in the do-or-die road finale.
    Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 22 June 2025
  • Matheus Nunes’ strike was the eighth occasion that Emery’s team have let one in at that do-or-die stage of a contest.
    Greg O'Keeffe, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2025
  • The question now is what adjustments will Thibodeau make to force a do-or-die Game 7.
    Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 30 May 2025
  • Streaming, though, feels like the industry that’s most in a do-or-die moment.
    Angela Watercutter, WIRED, 12 Jan. 2024
  • In the do-or-die Game 7, the Bruins committed a series-high 18 giveaways.
    Conor Ryan, BostonGlobe.com, 1 May 2023
  • His parents knew the life ahead in Hong Kong: long days and nights of studying for a do-or-die college entrance exam.
    Brittny Mejia, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2023
  • Back then, Golden State had reasonable hopes of escaping the do-or-die play-in round.
    Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 19 Mar. 2024
  • In a do-or-die plea for aid, the owners created a GoFundMe page that, to their surprise, met its goal within 24 hours.
    Benjamin Kemper, Saveur, 11 July 2024
  • And then the playoffs come along and you are put in do-or-die scenarios — high-pressure, big moments, just like in other sports.
    Edgar Thompson, Orlando Sentinel, 9 Feb. 2025
  • And then the playoffs come along and you are put in do-or-die scenarios — high-pressure, big moments, just like in other sports.
    Edgar Thompson, Orlando Sentinel, 9 Feb. 2025
  • The Timberwolves went into a do-or-die game and were flatlining before the first quarter was halfway over.
    Jon Krawczynski, New York Times, 29 May 2025
  • Washington had the best fourth-down conversion rate in the league during the regular season, and made some huge do-or-die plays to stay in it against the Birds.
    Isaac Avilucea, Axios, 24 Jan. 2025
  • In the first game of the night the Heat rolled into looking for a second straight do-or-die win after defeating the Bulls in Chicago on Wednesday in their first play-in game.
    Kevin Dotson, CNN Money, 19 Apr. 2025
  • The game finished with the Dodgers bullpen that had been so brilliant in a Game 4 do-or-die win, this time four relievers holding the Padres hitless over the final four innings.
    Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2024
  • In less than 48 hours, New Hampshire will open the polls, and so Haley has been back in her trusty flag number for the final push of do-or-die campaigning this weekend.
    Mattie Kahn, Vogue, 22 Jan. 2024
  • He is accustomed to losing do-or-die games in Boston, including three Game 7s in the playoffs.
    Michael Russo, The Athletic, 21 Feb. 2025
  • Barca is attempting to make up ground on Madrid in the title race and also has a do-or-die meeting with Napoli in the Champions League last 16 on the horizon.
    Tom Sanderson, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2024
  • Given that every game from here on out is do-or-die for the Grizzlies, this could help expedite their offseason.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Apr. 2025
  • The Commanders, in fact, are appearing in Saturday's matchup in large part because of their mettle on do-or-die downs.
    Rohan Nadkarni, NBC News, 16 Jan. 2025
  • The Commanders, in fact, are appearing in Saturday's matchup in large part because of their mettle on do-or-die downs.
    Rohan Nadkarni, NBC News, 16 Jan. 2025
  • All this is part of a do-or-die task for the quintessential American department store under a brand-new CEO.
    Alina Selyukh, NPR, 27 Feb. 2024
  • That ground game has increasingly centered on a do-or-die push in Iowa, where a long-shot victory could redeem the effort.
    Kellen Browning, New York Times, 22 Dec. 2023
  • His wife saw the funny side Before the sun had even risen, the 36-year-old was out on the course’s driving range with his wedge, sending shot after shot towards a flag in a dress rehearsal of the do-or-die attempt to come.
    Jack Bantock, CNN, 16 Mar. 2024
  • Elimination games come down to who’s hungrier, who survives in a do-or-die moment.
    Kelly Iko, New York Times, 29 Apr. 2025
  • Yet, despite all this positive momentum, 2025 will likely be a do-or-die year for Rumble.
    Kyle Khan-Mullins, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2024
  • Yet, despite all this positive momentum, 2025 will likely be a do-or-die year for Rumble.
    Kyle Khan-Mullins, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2024

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

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