dying

American  

[dahy-ing] / ˈdaɪ ɪŋ /

adjective

1. ceasing to live; approaching death; expiring.

   a dying man.

2. of, relating to, or associated with death.

   his dying hour.

3. given, uttered, or manifested just before death.

   her dying words.

4. drawing to a close; ending.

   the dying year.

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noun

1. the act or process of ceasing to live, ending, or drawing to a close.

dying British  

/ ˈdaɪɪŋ /

verb

1. the present participle of die 1

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adjective

1. relating to or occurring at the moment of death

   a dying wish

dying Idioms  

1. see under die.

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Other Word Forms

• half-dying
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of dying

1250–1300; Middle English. See die ¹, -ing ², -ing ¹

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!"

Example Sentences

Natalie Cassidy looks wistful as she thinks back to caring for her dying father in his final days.

From BBC • May 24, 2026

Owens has separately accused Kirk’s widow, Erika, along with Turning Point USA, of using artificial intelligence to forge Kirk’s dying wishes.

From Salon • May 23, 2026

“The old is dying and the new cannot be born,” the Italian Marxist Antonio Gramsci wrote in 1930.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026

Responding “We bought a Christmas tree” is a happy, cozy statement, reflecting that you will not be spending Christmas alone, or, one can infer, most likely dying alone too.

From Los Angeles Times • May 22, 2026

But still, it didn’t stop all the dying that was to come—my mama passing, followed so quickly by my brothers.

From "The Detective's Assistant" by Kate Hannigan

Related Words

• death
• decease
• demise
• expiration
• loss of life
• passing