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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

dying

2 of 3

noun

as in death

Related Words

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

In Western countries, the past decade has seen a veritable avalanche of essays and books raging at the dying of the light. — Foreign Affairs, 20 Oct. 2026 Formal rites for the dying, already limited, were further truncated or skipped entirely. — Literary Hub, 28 Sep. 2026 Her sister, Lydia (Alejandra Flechner), accuses her of being a better caregiver to the dying than the living. — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 24 Sep. 2026 As many people who care for a dying loved one know all too well, the grieving process started for Bullock long before Randall died. — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 19 Aug. 2026 In contrast, those with all three conditions averaged just 17 years before developing dementia or dying. — Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 10 Aug. 2026 Advertisement In the final phase of dying—a period Barbara Karnes, a hospice nurse and educator since the 1970s, calls labor—many people become nonresponsive. — Angela Haupt, Time, 5 Aug. 2026 But does a basil plant covered in black spots mean its dying? — Heather Bien, The Spruce, 26 July 2026 Due to such discomfort – or for other reasons – people often delay making plans for their own dying process. — Jane Callahan, The Conversation, 14 July 2026

Verb

At the sites of deadly accidents, people have reported the sound of a pickaxe or the groans of a dying man. — Marcus Librizzi, The Conversation, 26 Oct. 2026 Bart cries wolf the morning after dreaming about dying in a bus crash, but no one believes him. — Joshua Kurp, Vulture, 26 Oct. 2026 Woods and Thomas’ production in the dying embers of the affair became pertinent when Knight went down with a chest/ribs injury. — Connor Dullinger, Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2026 In August, the National Park Service removed 77 invasive trees, according to court records, which means non-native species that can spread aggressively and harm native ecosystems, along with 73 trees that were either dead, dying or hazardous. — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 22 Oct. 2026 Carl would never see Moscow again, dying from colon cancer only three years later, at forty-six. — Literary Hub, 21 Oct. 2026 In addition to a person in his car dying from injuries sustained in the crash, another passenger was severely hurt, the release said. — Laura Bauer, Kansas City Star, 21 Oct. 2026 The makeshift bomb kills the already dying whale, setting in motion the titular ecological phenomenon of a whalefall. — Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 20 Oct. 2026 Amaya says researchers have already seen evidence of sea birds dying in response to warmer water temperatures along the coast. — Ava Berger, NPR, 19 Oct. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for dying

Adjective

Turf expert Jeff Fowler of Tip Top Turf Solutions said the wet, fallen leaves form a mat.

— John Shumway, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026
However, a property owner doesn’t have grounds to seek compensation if the fallen fruit does not cause any damage.

— Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of fallen

Verb

In the film, Carrie impales Margaret (Piper Laurie) with flying kitchen knives, crucified within a door frame, before perishing herself.

— ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 21 Oct. 2026
This summer has been a deadly one in Europe, with over 10,000 people perishing in the extreme heat over just a few weeks.

— Morgan Simon, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026

Definition of perishing

Verb

Texas ran for 212 yards, and it all but put the game away on the ground until Ole Miss assembled an evening-ending combination of plays that led to a Hail Mary attempt to potentially win it.

— Mac Engel October 25, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Oct. 2026
Kicker Nick Folk missed an extra point, ending a 67-try streak of perfection that dated back to the 2023 season as well.

— AJC.com, AJC.com, 25 Oct. 2026

Definition of ending

Verb

Members overwhelmingly voted to authorize the strike earlier this month, accusing the state of failing to bargain in good faith after their contract expired in June.

— ABC News, ABC News, 21 Oct. 2026
In his first year in office, he was called out by reporters for failing to hold regular press briefings.

— Ben Wieder, Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of failing

Adjective

Police said Sunday that a 65-year-old man was found dead on a sidewalk near an entrance to Disneyland in Anaheim.

— Alene Tchekmedyian, Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2026
The vehicle arrived at a hospital, where Kohen was pronounced dead, and another individual was critically injured, according to authorities.

— Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 25 Oct. 2026

Definition of dead

Noun

One factor that could also affect air travel is the demise of Spirit Airlines, which went out of business in early May.

— Leslie Josephs, CNBC, 23 Oct. 2026
An ancient family The mass extinction that caused the dinosaurs’ demise may have created an environment for the king-size fungus to evolve and thrive, according to the study.

— Mindy Weisberger, CNN Money, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of demise

Cite this Entry

Style

“Dying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dying. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of dying

adjective

noun

verb

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