1
as in to die
to stop living
12 people perished in the plane crash
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to decompose
chiefly British
to go through decomposition
after being left out in the summer heat, the milk perished and had to be thrown out
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of perish
An estimated 47 species have perished while being considered for a listing, as they were still exposed to the threats that helped reduce their populations in the first place, according to an analysis by the High Country News.
—
Andrew Cunningham, ArsTechnica, 28 Aug. 2025
Fourteen people perished on a line that was less than a decade old.
—Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 25 Aug. 2025
The renowned financier and aviator perished in a plane crash in 2007, and Peggy held onto the home until her death in 2017, at which time it was sold to Vickers and his wife, Kerry.
—Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 22 Aug. 2025
The estimate for a full invasion would have been over a million people, from both sides, to perish.
—Chicago Tribune, 15 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for perish
Andrew Cunningham, ArsTechnica, 28 Aug. 2025
Fourteen people perished on a line that was less than a decade old.
—Laura Paddison, CNN Money, 25 Aug. 2025
The renowned financier and aviator perished in a plane crash in 2007, and Peggy held onto the home until her death in 2017, at which time it was sold to Vickers and his wife, Kerry.
—Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 22 Aug. 2025
The estimate for a full invasion would have been over a million people, from both sides, to perish.
—Chicago Tribune, 15 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for perish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for perish
Verb
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Good Fortune follows Reeves as an angel, Gabriel, tasked by his boss, Martha (Sandra Oh), with stopping humans from dying while texting and driving.—
Joey Nolfi,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Sep. 2025
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The fact that babies and toddlers continue to die from ingesting fentanyl will likely come up in a meeting next month.—
Laura Bauer,
Kansas City Star,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The farm worked with Ducks Unlimited for a different conservation easement applicable to its rice fields, and was an early adopter of post-harvest flood practices to decompose rice straw left over from harvest.—
Jake Goodrick,
Sacbee.com,
4 Sep. 2025
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While strontium aluminate can readily decompose in plants, posing harm to plant tissue, Liu said, the scientists developed a chemical coating for the material that acts as a protective barrier.—
Issy Ronald,
CNN Money,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
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National Weather Service meteorologists consider forecasting waterspouts during the late summer and fall whenever large, cool air masses overspread the waters of the Great Lakes.—
Jenna Prestininzi,
Freep.com,
8 Sep. 2025
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The Department of Buildings told CBS News New York and News 12 Long Island that a 10-by-10-inch section of the ceiling collapsed due to possible water damage, and pieces of the building fell on customers dining inside.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
PEOPLE,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Before flight 10, Starship's most recent demonstration came on May 27, when the spacecraft spun out of control roughly halfway through its flight and disintegrated in a fireball.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
28 Aug. 2025
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The situation quickly disintegrated as Joseph Gerber, 45, who had an outstanding felony warrant, fired first and wounded Mancera.—
Jim Woods,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Check each tomato for pest damage or disease such as blossom end rot.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
7 Sep. 2025
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It can also be used to describe the brain-rotting content itself.—
Safiyah Riddle,
Fortune,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Researchers from each, plus the United States, were attempting to decipher the challenges presented by opposing either a regime or a decaying democracy.—
Ron Scherf,
Time,
5 Sep. 2025
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Their decaying carcasses led to the rapid deterioration of water quality and an explosion of harmful bacteria, researchers said.—
Lauren Liebhaber
September 5,
Miami Herald,
5 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Perish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/perish. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.
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