formal
1
: an end of life : death
She had/owned no property at the time of her demise.
The musician met an untimely demise.
There are several theories about what caused the demise [=extinction] of the dinosaurs.
2
: the end of something that is thought of as being like a death
We have not had truly local news coverage since the town newspaper's demise three years ago.
the company's imminent demise
Losing this game will mean/spell the team's demise.
Cite this Entry
“Demise.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/demise. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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