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
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Recent Examples of demise
Jonathan A. Czin, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2025
Both of those are fully in play this year, with Beck’s performance likely serving as a focal point for the team’s success or demise.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 15 Aug. 2025
Sean Kingsley, Smithsonian Magazine, 31 July 2022
Ann, who’s starring in a new opera at Disney Hall, embraces her character’s nightly demise with a grand passion that her audiences find cathartic.
—Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2021
See All Example Sentences for demise
Noun
The ousting of senior officers who were once considered untouchable has fed a flurry of rumors that Xi is losing his grip over the PLA—and even prompted more extreme claims that Xi’s own political demise might be imminent.
—Jonathan A. Czin, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2025
Both of those are fully in play this year, with Beck’s performance likely serving as a focal point for the team’s success or demise.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 15 Aug. 2025
Verb
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
Ann, who’s starring in a new opera at Disney Hall, embraces her character’s nightly demise with a grand passion that her audiences find cathartic.
—Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2021
See All Example Sentences for demise
Recent Examples of Synonyms for demise
Noun
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Possible complications can include lung failure and death, with about one in 10 people who get sick dying from the disease due to complications from illness, CDC said.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
21 Aug. 2025
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The Tennessean analyzed more than four years of death data between 2020 from the Department of Correction across all prisons and found deaths occurred disproportionately in CoreCivic facilities.—
Melissa Brown,
The Tennessean,
21 Aug. 2025
Noun
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The property sale led to an early termination of a kitchen services contract TouchPoint Services, also known as Compass Group, had at Alexian Village.—
Tom Daykin,
jsonline.com,
22 Aug. 2025
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Chief Critic Roberts disagreed with Barrett, writing in a dissenting opinion the district court had the authority to rule on grant terminations.—
Antonio Pequeño IV,
Forbes.com,
21 Aug. 2025
Noun
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But the ups and downs of the market are just one measure of AI’s impact, and even some of AI’s biggest critics say the downfall won’t happen overnight.—
Allison Morrow,
CNN Money,
22 Aug. 2025
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Republican strategist Karl Rove on Thursday underscored the stakes of the Russia-Ukraine peace talks, saying failure to come to a resolution could be the downfall of President Trump’s presidency.—
Sarah Fortinsky,
The Hill,
21 Aug. 2025
Verb
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In the past six years, more than 20 kids have died from unintentional shootings in Indianapolis, and in just over half of those cases, someone was criminally charged.—
Noe Padilla,
IndyStar,
21 Aug. 2025
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Her then-boyfriend charged in the case died in a shooting two years ago.—
Ashley Luthern,
jsonline.com,
20 Aug. 2025
Noun
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The First Lady for 'Sincere Attention' President Trump hand-delivered a letter from his wife to Putin during the summit, which focused on the fate of Ukrainian and Russian children, Reuters reported, citing two unnamed White House officials.—
Ellie Cook,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Aug. 2025
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Ophelia is a young noblewoman whose fate is controlled by three men: Hamlet, the prince; Polonius, her father; and Laertes, her brother.—
Bryan West,
The Tennessean,
15 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Others have found a higher risk of relationship dissolution when the woman outearns her husband, and men in this situation have an 11% greater chance of being diagnosed with a mental health problem.—
Kim Elsesser,
Forbes.com,
15 Aug. 2025
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The Papal States maintained armies until their dissolution in 1870.—
Bruce Fein,
Baltimore Sun,
14 Aug. 2025
Noun
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In an appearance on Angie Martinez’s IRL podcast, Clarkson opened up about the ups and downs of co-parenting.—
Lea Veloso,
StyleCaster,
13 Aug. 2025
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Despite being a small customer, Crawford Denim has provided consistent business to its U.S. factory partners for 12 years, even during the ups and downs of Covid.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
12 Aug. 2025
Verb
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But, if wages don’t rise to match those jumps, consumer spending could fall and slow the economy.—
Raul Elizalde,
Forbes.com,
15 Aug. 2025
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Many species have a small window of activity in the spring, summer, or fall and disappear until the next year.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
14 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Demise.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/demise. Accessed 27 Aug. 2025.
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