moribund

adjective

ˈmȯr-ə-(ˌ)bənd How to pronounce moribund (audio)
Definition of moribundnext
1
as in dying
nearly dead with its run-down look and empty aisles, the grocery store appeared moribund

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in obsolete
having passed its time of use or usefulness youngsters snickering at the moribund slang their parents were using

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of moribund García and Ramos hit enough to boost the team’s otherwise moribund offense until the law firm of Stanton, Judge & Bellinger is healthy. — Brendan Kuty, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026 While restoration may be a moribund art, the atmosphere at the NFDA showcase was anything but sepulchral. — John Semley, Harpers Magazine, 28 July 2026 In Biden’s case, South Carolinians rescued his seemingly moribund campaign. — W. James Antle Iii, The Washington Examiner, 25 July 2026 The Cavs, like every Cleveland team, were hopeless, moribund. — Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 24 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for moribund
Recent Examples of Synonyms for moribund
  1. dying
  2. obsolete
  3. archaic
  4. antiquated
  5. medieval
  6. rusty
Adjective
  • What’s the vibe for you, post-dying?
    — Sean T. Collins, Vulture, 22 June 2026
  • Garden centers aren't giving a refund for a dying or dead plant but rather a discount on a new purchase.
    — Lauren David, Southern Living, 17 Dec. 2025
Definition of dying
Adjective
  • The key difference between these projects and the more artisanal ones being embraced by China and others is that their purpose remains primarily legalistic, focused on achieving change by adhering to increasingly obsolete frameworks.
    — Mark Leonard, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026
  • This doesn’t make information architecture obsolete by any means.
    — Dave Foster, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of obsolete
Adjective
  • And the rest is public perception, which has shifted against what many Americans see as a dirty, archaic form of power generation.
    — Trevor Hughes, USA Today, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Now, if the league would drop its archaic blackout rules, this would be a lot easier for everyone.
    — Scott Powers, New York Times, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of archaic
Adjective
  • Additionally, interviews and encounters with the slain officers’ family members also illustrate the cost and harm of a job that was formed in the early 19th century and remains antiquated and unchanged in our 21st-century world.
    — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Today, satellite television barely exists — even cable is antiquated.
    — Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of antiquated
Adjective
  • Another day trip option is the hilltop town of Erice, where there's a medieval fortress that's over 2,500 years old.
    — Megan Rose Murray, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Aug. 2026
  • According to a medieval historian at the University of East Anglia (UEA) in England, Pope Alexander had his own bone to pick with King Harold.
    — Margherita Bassi, Popular Science, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of medieval
Adjective
  • The kitchen itself, though, feels fairly unused—one tap wasn’t working, the cutlery was slightly rusty, and the whole setup had a ramshackle quality.
    — Megan Rose Murray, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Aug. 2026
  • But a deep partial eclipse can be stranger because one bright sliver remains outside the darkest part of Earth's shadow while the rest of the moon turns dim and rusty.
    — Jamie Carter, Space.com, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of rusty

Browse Nearby Words

mores
moribund
morn
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Moribund.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/moribund. Accessed 25 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of tilde

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

How to Pronounce the Trickiest Menu Items

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 21

16 Glee-ridden Words from Schitt's Creek
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
alt-684346df967d5
Add A Letter Quiz Pick the letter that goes in the same spot in fou...
See All