expire

[ik-spahyuhr]

verb (used without object)

expired, expiring 

1. to come to an end; terminate, as a contract, guarantee, or offer.

2. to emit the last breath; die.

3. to breathe out.

4. to die out, as a fire.

verb (used with object)

expired, expiring 

1. to breathe out; emit (air) from the lungs.

2. Archaic.,  to give off, emit, or eject.

expire

/ ɪkˈspaɪə /

verb

1. (intr) to finish or run out; cease; come to an end

2. to breathe out (air); exhale

3. (intr) to die

Other Word Forms

• expirer noun
• expiringly adverb
• nonexpiring adjective
• unexpired adjective
• unexpiring adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of expire¹

1375–1425; late Middle English < Latin ex ( s ) pīrāre to breathe out, equivalent to ex- ex- ¹ + spīrāre to breathe

Word History and Origins

Origin of expire¹

C15: from Old French expirer, from Latin exspīrāre to breathe out, from spīrāre to breathe

Example Sentences

This summer, Coinbase, the largest U.S. exchange, launched perpetual futures, a type of financial contract that never expires and lets traders bet on digital tokens’ rise using up to 10 times leverage.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

And now they are allowing the ACA subsidies to expire, hiking premiums to unaffordable levels for millions of people.

Read more on Salon

When patents expired on blockbusters such as depression drug Cymbalta, revenue sagged.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The original program, which was passed four years ago and expires next year, also faced strong opposition.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

But that support quickly expires once applicants are granted refugee status, leading to many becoming homeless.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• cease 
• close 
• conclude 
• depart 
• die 
• finish 
• lapse 
• pass 
• pass away 
• quit 
• run out 
• terminate