PERISHES Synonyms: 98 Similar and Opposite Words

perishes

verb

present tense third-person singular of perish

as in dies

to stop living 12 people perished in the plane crash

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as in disintegrates

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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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 perishes In The Children, sister and brother Guinevere and Ennis grow up under the shadow of their mother, Edith Sharpe, whose Ninth City children’s book series transfixes the world until Edith perishes in a mysterious fire in Vermont. — Hamilton Cain, Time, 7 July 2026 Every soldier Harry would have saved on a transport during the war perishes too. — Margaret Heidenry, Vanity Fair, 24 Dec. 2025 Factory ships deplete fisheries in a matter of years and an inordinate amount of sea life also perishes in their nets. — Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 12 Aug. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for perishes

Verb

When one joint account holder dies, the surviving owner typically gains full access to the funds, though the specific rules vary by institution and jurisdiction, the CFPB explains.

— Ashley Lynch July 22, Charlotte Observer, 22 July 2026
Fourth person dies from Legionnaires' disease cluster As of July 20, NYC's Health Department reported 76 cases in total from the community outbreak.

— Amethyst Martinez, USA Today, 21 July 2026

Definition of dies

Verb

The debris – space rocks known as meteoroids – collides with Earth's atmosphere at high speed and disintegrates, creating fiery and colorful streaks in the sky, according to NASA.

— Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 17 June 2026
Even those who can afford to stay suffer losses in home equity and lifestyle as the community around them disintegrates or disappears.

— The Conversation, Fortune, 12 June 2026

Definition of disintegrates

Verb

This unique trend sees AI adoption rise while trust falls, fueling widespread demand for accountability and human oversight.

— Gary Drenik, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
As several experts have told CNN, when a drug trafficking leader falls, there are always many others available to succeed him, so the criminal organization – at least for now – remains active.

— Sol Amaya, CNN Money, 20 July 2026

Definition of falls

Verb

The research team enabled a room-temperature, four-electron chemical reaction path that forms and decomposes lithium oxide, which expands available energy storage.

— Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 3 June 2026
Organic material trapped in reservoirs accumulates and decomposes over time, releasing methane — a potent greenhouse gas that significantly contributes to global warming, Fernández-Garrido told CNN.

— Radina Gigova, CNN Money, 27 May 2026

Definition of decomposes

Verb

When Mina’s closest friend Lucy succumbs to his thrall, the enigmatic Professor Van Helsing is summoned to wage war on this unfathomable threat.

— Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 22 July 2026
If someone succumbs to the heat, promptly relocate them to a cool, shaded location.

— Bay Area Weather Report, Mercury News, 13 July 2026

Definition of succumbs

Verb

Control concentrated in one person dies with that person, decays with that person's judgment, and converts to cash the day that person takes a hard enough offer.

— Kyle Westaway, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
Europe will not be able to defend itself militarily if democracy decays internally.

— Wendell Wallach, Hartford Courant, 25 June 2026

Definition of decays

Verb

Parents used to tell their children that television rots the brain; now it’s considered a medium for legitimate art.

— New York Times, New York Times, 1 June 2026
Training plants to stay off the ground instead of trailing prevents many common fungal diseases, fruit spots, and rots.

— Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 31 May 2026

Definition of rots

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“Perishes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/perishes. Accessed 26 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of perishes

verb

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