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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of perish
Almost all 19 of the people who died in the blaze perished in the neighborhood.
—
Chiara Eisner, NPR, 2 Oct. 2025
At least two others were believed to have been trapped inside the church when the fire started and perished in the flames.
—Frank Witsil, Freep.com, 29 Sep. 2025
The parents of a girl who was among the victims who perished in flooding waters at Texas’ Camp Mystic in July have condemned the camp's plans to reopen while their daughter’s body remains missing.
—Marc Ramirez, USA Today, 26 Sep. 2025
The agony is still fresh for Katie and Clarke Baker, whose 8-year-old daughter Mary Grace perished in the flooding.
—Holly Yan, CNN Money, 24 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for perish
Chiara Eisner, NPR, 2 Oct. 2025
At least two others were believed to have been trapped inside the church when the fire started and perished in the flames.
—Frank Witsil, Freep.com, 29 Sep. 2025
The parents of a girl who was among the victims who perished in flooding waters at Texas’ Camp Mystic in July have condemned the camp's plans to reopen while their daughter’s body remains missing.
—Marc Ramirez, USA Today, 26 Sep. 2025
The agony is still fresh for Katie and Clarke Baker, whose 8-year-old daughter Mary Grace perished in the flooding.
—Holly Yan, CNN Money, 24 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for perish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for perish
Verb
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In April this year, 11 people — including two children — died when a bus flipped on its side in the southeastern corner of the country.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
PEOPLE,
19 Oct. 2025
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Older people who earn less than $20,000 a year die nine years sooner on average than those who earn $120,000 or more, according to a study by the National Council on Aging (NCOA) and University of Massachusetts Boston's LeadingAge LTSS Center.—
Medora Lee,
USA Today,
18 Oct. 2025
Verb
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According to the study, Igatuia Cavernicola likely plays an important role in its cave ecosystem by eating decomposing organic matter, thereby cycling nutrients and contributing to the habitat’s overall health and function.—
Lauren Liebhaber,
Miami Herald,
17 Oct. 2025
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Use a mulching mower to chop the leaves into small pieces that will decompose quickly and add nutrients to the soil.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
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On a shotgun snap, a handoff slipped out of Bo Nix’s hands, the quarterback falling on it for a loss of four.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
20 Oct. 2025
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Our 10 favorite Amazon fall fashion staples start at just $10 right now.—
Mia Huelsbeck,
PEOPLE,
19 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Ethan Hawke stars as Lorenz Hart of legendary songsmiths Rodgers & Hart as the prolific partnership disintegrates to his great dismay.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
17 Oct. 2025
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This difference sounds small, but preventing a few tenths of a degree of warming could keep polar ice caps from completely disintegrating, coral reefs from collapsing and other tipping points from triggering.—
Syris Valentine,
Scientific American,
16 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Curing or drying potatoes thickens their skins, allows minor cuts and abrasions to heal, and makes spuds less likely to rot or shrivel in storage.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
20 Oct. 2025
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Gutters provide easy access to your home, and clogs can create moisture that leads to rotting wood that termites like.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
19 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Protect your home by removing decaying wood, controlling moisture, and cleaning gutters and overgrowth.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
19 Oct. 2025
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At a tannery, the raw animal hide goes through a series of chemical and mechanical treatments to remove hair, fat and flesh before a tanning agent is added to the hide to prevent it from decaying.—
Kristi Miller,
Twin Cities,
18 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Perish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/perish. Accessed 24 Oct. 2025.
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