demise 1 of 2

noun

di-ˈmīz How to pronounce demise (audio)
Definition of demisenext
1
as in death
the permanent stopping of all the vital bodily activities inherited all of the estate upon the sudden demise of his grandfather

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in termination
the act of ceasing to exist the gradual demise of the Roman Empire over the course of several centuries

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in downfall
a loss of status after her demise as the doyenne of New York society, the mere mention of her name was regarded as a faux pas

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

demise

2 of 2

verb

as in to die
to stop living our much beloved, recently demised leader

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 demise
Noun
Since 2004, when exhumation and analysis of skeletal remains began for 49 Medici family tombs as part of the Medici Project, various studies have confirmed malaria as the cause of Francesco’s demise. — Jacopo Prisco, CNN Money, 15 July 2026 Professors fired for their constitutional right to criticize Charlie Kirk after his demise are forcing major concessions. — Literary Hub, 14 July 2026
Verb
The full ramifications of FTX’s insolvency and demise remain unclear, but many investors who had stored cryptocurrency on the exchange stand to lose a great deal. — Mia Taylor, Fortune, 10 Nov. 2022 According to James Sinclair, director of marine archaeology for the AllenX Maravillas project, the researchers are delving into the mystery of the ship’s demise by thoroughly mapping all of their finds. — Sean Kingsley, Smithsonian Magazine, 31 July 2022 See All Example Sentences for demise
Recent Examples of Synonyms for demise
  1. death
  2. termination
  3. downfall
  4. die
  5. fate
  6. dissolution
  7. down
  8. fall
Noun
  • Brown’s wife was Bruneau’s best friend at the time of the victim’s death, and both women worked as flight attendants for Braniff Airlines, a Grapevine police detective wrote in an arrest warrant affidavit filed in June.
    — Amy McDaniel, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 July 2026
  • The death was the fourth reported at a Sacramento County jail facility in 2026 and the second this year at Rio Cosumnes Correctional Center.
    — Daniel Hunt, Sacbee.com, 15 July 2026
Definition of death
Noun
  • The lawsuit described plaintiffs who were selected for termination while on maternity or paternity leave, and others who were on medical leave for disabilities.
    — Jon Brodkin, ArsTechnica, 14 July 2026
  • The head of the University of Missouri System, for example, warned employees at the time that their online speech could result in termination.
    — Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 14 July 2026
Definition of termination
Noun
  • Reform handed the ruling Labour Party a stunning defeat in local elections earlier this year, contributing to the downfall of Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
    — Adela Suliman, NBC news, 7 July 2026
  • But the Explorer’s acceleration is loud, prompting one of the vehicle’s few engine downfalls.
    — James Raia, Mercury News, 5 July 2026
Definition of downfall
Verb
  • Tuesday’s death also marked at least the 46th person to die while in custody at the Sacramento County Main Jail or RCCC since January 2021, according to data compiled by The Sacramento Bee.
    — Daniel Hunt, Sacbee.com, 15 July 2026
  • As beta-amyloid levels rise in the brain, tangles of proteins called tau begin gathering inside brain cells, causing neurons to collapse and die.
    — Sandee LaMotte, CNN Money, 15 July 2026
Definition of die
Noun
  • Monday Regardless of the system’s fate, heavy rainfall, gusty winds and some coastal flooding will impact the northern Gulf Coast Monday night through at least midweek.
    — Briana Waxman, CNN Money, 21 July 2026
  • The less time Alicent Hightower spends in the company of men, the more she’s blamed for every bad fate that’s ever befallen them.
    — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 20 July 2026
Definition of fate
Noun
  • Sandhoo also serves as the Space Force’s portfolio acquisition executive for missile warning and tracking, which would keep him in charge of much of the SDA’s mission after the agency’s dissolution.
    — Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 17 July 2026
  • These include dissolution, which uses solvents to recover polystyrene as pellets, and pyrolysis, which heats mixed plastic waste in low oxygen to produce oil-like feedstocks for new plastic.
    — Bloomberg, Mercury News, 16 July 2026
Definition of dissolution
Noun
  • The Crown released six references with PNDs throughout the ‘60s and ‘70s, switching up bezels from metal to acrylic, swapping between screw-down and pump-style pushers, updating movements, and tweaking that famous face.
    — Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 20 July 2026
  • Now, the respected doctors inspire the next generation while balancing the ups and downs of working in a hospital.
    — Joe Otterson, Variety, 20 July 2026
Definition of down
Verb
  • Try to find a place that will block blowing or falling debris.
    — CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 16 July 2026
  • Micron Technology sank 8%, Intel lost more than 4%, while Lam Research and Advanced Micro Devices each fell about 3%.
    — Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 16 July 2026
Definition of fall

Browse Nearby Words

demireps
demise
demised
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Demise.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/demise. Accessed 22 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on demise

Nglish: Translation of demise for Spanish Speakers

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 stalwart

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

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

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

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

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
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
thumbnail graphic with text word of the day quiz
Weekly "Word of the Day" Quiz See how well you know each Word of the Day for Ju...
See All