verb
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of dying
Explanation
Something that's dying is about to die or is getting ready to stop existing. A shriveled up plant that hasn't been watered in days is probably dying. Dying is a process that will happen to us all: living things eventually die. But non-living things can be dying, too: a battery that doesn't have much juice left is dying, and so is a TV show that's bombing in the ratings. A craft that's losing popularity can be called a dying art. States of extreme stress or anticipation can also be described as a form of dying, as in "I'm dying to know how this book ends!"
Vocabulary lists containing dying
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.
When he was approaching 70, friends started getting very sick and dying.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 23, 2026
The Dutch Grand Prix has been the scene of tragedy with British drivers Piers Courage and Roger Williamson dying in accidents, in 1970 and 1973 respectively.
From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026
The iconic tule elk, some of which were fenced in on the northern part of the peninsula to keep them from competing for grassland with cows, were dying off.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 16, 2026
The large study found that people who regularly climbed stairs had a substantially lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 14, 2026
But he felt connected to Nanuq now, and he couldn’t stand the thought of him dying.
From "Two Degrees" by Alan Gratz
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.
