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
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
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
20 June 2026
His demise fit with the fading of the rest of the natural world.
—
Liz Shulman,
Chicago Tribune,
19 June 2026
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
Noun
Now city officials are being asked to stomp the gas pedal on an ordinance that could speed the demise of some of downtown’s stateliest buildings — ones that help define its character, such as the old train station on Church Street, the Kress building and the Angebilt Hotel.
—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
20 June 2026
His demise fit with the fading of the rest of the natural world.
—
Liz Shulman,
Chicago Tribune,
19 June 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
Noun
-
Benning's cause of death was a fatal combination of a large amount of cocaine dissolved in alcohol, medical examiners testified during Taylor's trial.
-
According to a Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner death investigation report obtained by USA TODAY on July 1, Ransone's brother told an officer with the Los Angeles Police Department that the actor had a history of suicidal ideation.
Noun
-
An arbitrator overturned the university’s termination, ordering them to reinstate the professor of justice studies.
-
But the Supreme Court reversed those rulings, saying in a 6-3 decision that immigrants from Syria and Haiti are not entitled to judicial orders postponing the terminations of their temporary deportation protections.
Noun
-
That would be his downfall on Monday, too, hitting his putt a little too hard.
-
The Sound and The Fury Told by four narrators in a stream of consciousness writing style, this 1929 story describes the downfall of a wealthy Southern aristocratic family, the Compsons.
Verb
-
Ramos’ two daughters –– Darling Antonella, seven, and Dulce María, two –– were staying with their grandparents and great-grandparents, who also died in the earthquakes.
-
It was created in 2015 to honor the life and legacy of former ESPN broadcaster Stuart Scott, who died due to cancer earlier that year.
Noun
-
Diaz said the fate of the next 250 years for the United States is dependent on how adults prepare the next generation to take on the mantle.
-
The deal brings to a close a legal battle that dragged in the courts over several years between Yale New Haven Health and Prospect Medical Holdings concerning the fate of Prospect’s three Connecticut hospitals.
Noun
-
Following the abrupt dissolution of Disney’s $1 billion investment in OpenAI’s Sora text-to-video app, Shin stressed that there are no plans to use A24’s existing IP to create GenAI tools.
-
Coincidentally or not, that pained study of marital dissolution, co-starring Jolie’s then-husband Brad Pitt, intersected with the couple’s real-life breakup — not to mention Jolie’s grief over the death of her mother, Marcheline Bertrand.
Noun
-
Through years of navigating the ups and downs of podcasting, Mercury Podcast Founder and CEO Liam Heffernan noticed a striking gap in the industry.
-
At that point, college programs weren’t lining up to recruit a 187-pound pass rusher who hadn’t played a down of high school football.
Verb
-
The woman fell about 1,500 vertical feet, from around 12,000 feet to about 11,500 feet.
-
The report will also provide insight into whether American workers’ paychecks are falling further behind inflation.
Cite this Entry
“Demise.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/demise. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
