expire
Americanverb (used without object)
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to come to an end; terminate, as a contract, guarantee, or offer.
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to emit the last breath; die.
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to breathe out.
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to die out, as a fire.
verb (used with object)
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to breathe out; emit (air) from the lungs.
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Archaic. to give off, emit, or eject.
verb
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(intr) to finish or run out; cease; come to an end
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to breathe out (air); exhale
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(intr) to die
Other Word Forms
- expirer noun
- expiringly adverb
- nonexpiring adjective
- unexpired adjective
- unexpiring adjective
Etymology
Origin of expire
1375–1425; late Middle English < Latin ex ( s ) pīrāre to breathe out, equivalent to ex- ex- 1 + spīrāre to breathe
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.
Some of the new terms expire in 2033, when the Commerce Department’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration expects fifth-generation network upgrades to be completed, the people said.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026
He predicted an uptick in contract renewals for the company this year, as three-year contracts from the end of the pandemic era expire.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 31, 2026
The US government has frequently issued similar waivers in recent years, often renewing them multiple times each time they expire.
From Barron's • Mar. 25, 2026
Yet only hours before the deadline was due to expire, Trump stepped back.
From BBC • Mar. 23, 2026
But people made such a big deal about a birthday party that I forgot that my license was going to expire.
From "Life Is So Good" by George Dawson
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.
