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

A quintessential crop and national icon of the 20th century in America was dying before our eyes, and outside this room, most of the country—even Florida itself—had barely noticed.

From Slate • Apr. 20, 2026

I told them about the ways the people in our state were struggling and dying, similar to what Roxanne told me was happening here with her family and community.

From Salon • Apr. 19, 2026

Away from acting, French media reported that Baye publicly supported action to tackle climate change and reform French assisted dying legislation.

From BBC • Apr. 18, 2026

LIV Golf appears to be dying on the vine but doesn’t want to say so.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 17, 2026

He swayed back and forth in a rocking motion and made a whistling howl, like that last, dying wheeze of a damp log in a fire.

From "The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams" by Daniel Nayeri

Related Words

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