PERISH Synonyms: 98 Similar and Opposite Words

perish

verb

ˈper-ish

Definition of perish

as in to die

to stop living 12 people perished in the plane crash

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 perish And because the war was still on, the arsenal was quickly rebuilt and brought back online while those who perished were placed in a mass grave in the Allegheny Cemetery, marked only today by one large stone, tucked away on the far side of the burial grounds. — Christopher Derose, CBS News, 26 June 2026 Not long after completing Dream Me a Dream, Zimmerman and Marie-Claire Lambert, his wife of 55 years and frequent creative partner, perished in a house fire. — Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Pitchfork, 22 June 2026 Known as the Heaven’s 27 Camp Safety Act — named for the 25 girls and two teenage counselors who perished at Mystic last year — it was signed into law in Texas in September. — Johnny Dodd, PEOPLE, 1 July 2026 This month, park service staff have offered only minimal details about two deaths at California national parks, including a fatality Saturday at Yosemite in which a young man perished after falling from a nearly 600-foot waterfall. — Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 25 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for perish

Recent Examples of Synonyms for perish

Verb

Ramos’ two daughters –– Darling Antonella, seven, and Dulce María, two –– were staying with their grandparents and great-grandparents, who also died in the earthquakes.

— Isa Soares, CNN Money, 1 July 2026
It was created in 2015 to honor the life and legacy of former ESPN broadcaster Stuart Scott, who died due to cancer earlier that year.

— Tom Ignudo, CBS News, 1 July 2026

Definition of die

Verb

That changed in April 2023 when unknowing construction workers unceremoniously removed a disintegrating Pinky from its eyrie.

— Ryan Steven Green, Los Angeles Times, 29 June 2026
The experiments have shown how a self-repair mechanism enables the spindle to stabilize itself under force and avoid disintegrating.

— Jake Buehler, Quanta Magazine, 29 June 2026

Definition of disintegrate

Verb

The Yolo County Central Landfill will build a new system that will convert methane from decomposing waste into renewable natural gas, the county announced Tuesday.

— Daniel Lempres, Sacbee.com, 30 June 2026
The ocean becomes a creamy expanse splotched with brown mats of decomposing algae, according to photos shared by Abrams.

— Bill Kearney, Sun Sentinel, 28 June 2026

Definition of decompose

Verb

One boy, 12, succumbed to the heat and passed out, with EMS medics and police rushing to help him, according to PIX 11.

— Julian Roberts-Grmela, New York Daily News, 4 July 2026
On Thursday at Wimbledon, a couple of players were unable to do so, succumbing to Nadal’s Law.

— Ava Wallace, New York Times, 2 July 2026

Definition of succumb

Verb

In his inital letter, Lehmkuhl agreed that there is an urgent need to clear debris and address the persistent odor of millions of pounds of rotting food at the site.

— Jasmine Mendez Follow, Los Angeles Times, 4 July 2026
Applying mulch directly against plant stems traps moisture, leading to rotting and other issues.

— Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 July 2026

Definition of rot

Verb

Leave some messiness in your garden and leave the leaves, as decaying leaves are great habitat for fireflies.

— Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 5 July 2026
Many kinds of fly larvae eat dead or decaying tissue and may sometimes end up on meat, but New World screwworm larvae need living tissue to survive and develop.

— Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 5 July 2026