1
as in to die
to stop living
12 people perished in the plane crash
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to disintegrate
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of perish
Thousands of people, including families and officials, gathered in Minab, Iran, today for a funeral ceremony for the children who perished in the strike on Shajareh Tayyebeh elementary school Saturday.
—
Matt Nighswander, NBC news, 3 Mar. 2026
Four children, including an infant, and their mother perished in the fire.
—Mary Lebus, Cincinnati Enquirer, 3 Mar. 2026
In 1939, Canada itself had turned away a ship of Jewish refugees, many of whom later perished in death camps.
—Literary Hub, 2 Mar. 2026
In Argentina, roughly 1,300 sea lions and fur seals perished.
—Susanne Rust
follow, Los Angeles Times, 25 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for perish
Matt Nighswander, NBC news, 3 Mar. 2026
Four children, including an infant, and their mother perished in the fire.
—Mary Lebus, Cincinnati Enquirer, 3 Mar. 2026
In 1939, Canada itself had turned away a ship of Jewish refugees, many of whom later perished in death camps.
—Literary Hub, 2 Mar. 2026
In Argentina, roughly 1,300 sea lions and fur seals perished.
—Susanne Rust
follow, Los Angeles Times, 25 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for perish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for perish
Verb
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Twenty-three immigrants have already died in custody in the current fiscal year, putting it on pace to surpass the previous one, which had the highest number of deaths in immigration detention in decades.—
Jonathan Blitzer,
New Yorker,
15 Mar. 2026
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He was transported to a nearby hospital and died from his injuries on March 10, officials said.—
Jeff McDonald,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Hollywood, the name for the entertainment industry headquartered and operating in Los Angeles County, is disintegrating.—
Geoff Colvin,
Fortune,
13 Mar. 2026
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And while most of the spacecraft will likely disintegrate in a flaming blaze during reentry, a few components could survive, according to NASA.—
Jackie Wattles,
CNN Money,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The team with the worst record can fall no lower than fifth in the draft while the team with the fourth-worst record can fall as far as eighth.—
Jason Anderson,
Sacbee.com,
15 Mar. 2026
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Midway through the third quarter, Ralston Valley pushed the ball in transition with the Jaguars falling slightly out of control.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The detail was that Rivas’ body was not only badly decomposed when it was found – it had been dismembered and separated into two bags before being placed in the trunk of the Tesla.—
Allison Gordon,
CNN Money,
12 Mar. 2026
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Buildup occurs when grass grows faster than the layer of thatch can decompose.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
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And on Friday, September 13, 1996, Tupac Shakur succumbed to his gunshot wounds from six days prior.—
Manon Bischoff,
Scientific American,
13 Mar. 2026
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The 11-year-old titular character in Hamnet, up for Best Picture, succumbs to the plague.—
Shirley Li,
The Atlantic,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Be sure to keep the mulch at least two inches away from the stems or stalks of vegetable plants to help prevent rot from too much moisture.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
14 Mar. 2026
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When Corms Don't Sprout If your corms haven’t sprouted after two weeks, there could be several reasons for this, such as rotting due to overwatering, insufficient warmth and humidity, or the corms being too dry.—
SJ McShane,
Martha Stewart,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Chunks of decaying organic matter, and the spaces made by the creatures that feed on it, make the soil lighter and more porous.—
Beth Botts,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Mar. 2026
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Rusting agricultural equipment and decaying barns gave the sci-fi story an eerie texture that’s strangely suited to a movie theater in a trailer.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
14 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Perish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/perish. Accessed 17 Mar. 2026.
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