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Synonyms

die for

Idioms  

  1. Also, be dying for. Long for, desire excessively, as in I'm dying for some ice cream. This hyperbolic usage dates from the late 1500s. Also see die to.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"Before, I was ready to die for my country but when I had a kid that changed everything," she told AFP.

From Barron's • Jan. 17, 2026

It was practically do or die for a banged-up team that needed to win at least two of its final five games for a realistic chance at the playoffs.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 9, 2025

“I don’t want to die for this,” he said, “but a lot of people will do whatever they have to do to eat.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 26, 2025

"But he's not, he's dead - and I refuse to let him die for nothing."

From BBC • Oct. 7, 2025

“You want me to die for you, Luke?”

From "Anthem of a Reluctant Prophet" by Joanne Proulx

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.