DYING Synonyms: 169 Similar and Opposite Words

dying 1 of 3

adjective

ˈdī-iŋ

Definition of dying

as in fallen

nearly dead we watered the dying plants just in time

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

dying

2 of 3

noun

as in death

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Dissimilar Words

dying

3 of 3

verb

present participle of die

as in perishing

to stop living the king died of old age after a long and fruitful reign

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in ending

to come to an end the storm died just as dawn was breaking over the horizon

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in failing

to stop functioning fortunately, when the engine died we were only two blocks from home

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

starting (up)

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 dying

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

Noun

However, his second wife, Alicent Hightower (played as a young girl by Emily Carey and as an adult by Olivia Cooke), interprets his incoherent dying words as a change of heart in favor of her son, Aegon II Targaryen (played as a child by Ty Tennant and as an adult by Tom Glynn-Carney). — Encyclopedia Britannica, 22 June 2026 After the woman departed the cruise liner where the hantavirus outbreak occurred, the ship continued to other destinations in the South Atlantic, with some passengers falling ill and at least three dying. — Matthew Lee, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2026 Louis begged Lestat to turn a dying, human Claudia into a vampire, and the two then adopted her as a sort of daughter. — Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 7 June 2026 The imprecision in his birthdate, which differs from the singularness in the date of his death, feels like an open wound where the dying is more certain than the living. — Literary Hub, 2 June 2026 But the dying throws a wrench into it. — David Manheim, Rolling Stone, 20 May 2026 Goro’s show, which Tomoki interrupts whenever the mood strikes, maintains that only the dying are sensitive enough to appreciate the full scope of life’s beauty, and that message naturally resonates with the ethos of Marie-Lou’s approach to eldercare. — David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 15 May 2026 At one point, his condition seemed so dire that a priest was called to provide Giuliani his last rites, a Catholic sacrament often administered to the dying. — Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 14 May 2026 Instead of risking your battery dying, opt for a compact, cordless phone charger. — Lane Nieset, Travel + Leisure, 26 Apr. 2026

Verb

But the risk of dying increases about 2% for every hour that surgery is delayed. — Deidre McPhillips, CNN Money, 13 July 2026 Puente ran a boarding house where bodies of former tenants were unearthed in 1988, and she was convicted of killing three people before dying in prison in 2011. — Ruyuan Li. Summary Produced By Ai Assistance, Sacbee.com, 10 July 2026 The two actors rarely share a scene together, the floor between their apartments providing a barrier to human connection, and the musical reveries become a means of escape from a dying world. — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 10 July 2026 The annual plan is already dead; the quarterly plan is dying slowly. — Pradeep Prasana Kanagaraj, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026 Lee’s family announced her death late last year, with the star dying on Christmas Day after she was hospitalized for the aforementioned cardiac arrests. — Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 10 July 2026 The Ordinance Committee also dealt with the issue of dead or dying trees within 15 feet of the owner’s property line. — Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 10 July 2026 With two children dying so far this summer after being left inside cars during South Florida’s sweltering heat season, experts are urging parents and other caregivers to take a series of steps to prevent tragedies. — David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 9 July 2026 Piñon said a son dying and having two other children fighting for their lives has been overwhelming for the mother. — Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for dying

Adjective

The 55-story, 2 million square foot building with more than an acre of outdoor terraces and gardens is the last commercial development in the footprint of the fallen twin towers of the World Trade Center.

— Aaron Katersky, ABC News, 9 July 2026
But fallen ash still poses major health risks if ingested or inhaled.

— Christopher Buchanan, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026

Definition of fallen

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

Verb

Authorities have publicly identified four people who lost their lives over the last week in San Diego County traffic crashes, with three of the victims perishing in head-on collisions in the eastern reaches of the region.

— City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 May 2026
Singh raised his second straight half-century off just 23 balls with eight fours and a six while Iyer brought up his fifty of 31 balls and smacked Thakur four two consecutive sixes before perishing when Dhir took a stunning catch at deep mid-wicket.

— ABC News, ABC News, 16 Apr. 2026

Definition of perishing

Verb

In its latest half-year earnings, published May 21, EasyJet reported a pre-tax loss of £552 million for the six months ending March 31, despite a 12% jump in half-year revenues to £4 billion, warning of price rises and slower bookings.

— Hugh Leask, CNBC, 6 July 2026
Efraín Juárez, then the coach of Pumas, was asked about the possibility of his team ending a long title drought.

— Eduard Cauich, Los Angeles Times, 5 July 2026

Definition of ending

Verb

Plaintiffs alleged that the event promoters were negligent in failing to secure required permits, not providing adequate security or crowd control and misrepresenting the event as safe for families, according to the statement.

— Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 July 2026
He was revisited by a vague feeling of physical ineptitude that’d haunted him since childhood; failing to throw the ball properly on sports day at primary school, his father watching.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 July 2026

Definition of failing

Adjective

Inside, a man and woman believed to be in their mid-40s were found dead from gunshot wounds.

— Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 11 July 2026
In a subsequent lecture, Halford noted that snake venom’s effect on the blood was like that of cholera, and modestly suggested that the venom of dead snakes, dried and carried aloft on the wind, might be the cause of that disease.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 July 2026

Definition of dead

Noun

But under the new law, the logging and human development that led to their near demise is now allowed.

— Jack Flemming, Los Angeles Times, 11 July 2026
Ellie, of course, meets her demise by the conclusion of Evil Dead Rise, which sets up the post-credit scene in Evil Dead Burn.

— Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026

Definition of demise

Verb

Try to find a place that will block blowing or falling debris.

— CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 16 July 2026
Snow rooms, enclosed caverns of ice and snow, sometimes incorporating gently falling flakes, are the latest at-home flex for some of the world’s wealthiest, according to the New York Times.

— Elizabeth Fazzare, Architectural Digest, 15 July 2026

Definition of falling

Cite this Entry

Style

“Dying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dying. Accessed 16 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of dying

adjective

noun

verb

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