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

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Etymology

Origin of dying

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

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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

See Examples For:

dying

Both of them started to turn black and swell in the freezing temperatures, signs that the tissue was dying.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026

He recalled how Pio Pico, who helped found the California Republican Party but ended up dying destitute, opened the structure in 1870 as a testament to what Latinos had contributed to their state.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 4, 2026

In the end, however, he was voted off the show in its dying moments, when comedian Romesh Ranganathan couldn't shake the idea that Blunt was in cahoots with the traitorous Maya Jama.

From BBC ● Nov. 3, 2026

Obesity is generally linked to a greater risk of developing cancer and dying from the disease.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 2, 2026

The dialogue spoken onstage no longer sounded like words but like the last ticks of a dying clock winding down.

From "Chasing Lincoln's Killer" by James L. Swanson

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Related Words

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

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