in extremis
Americanadverb
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in extremity.
-
near death.
adverb
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in extremity; in dire straits
-
at the point of death
Etymology
Origin of in extremis
literally: in the furthest reaches
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.
Bond holdings are concentrated in domestic pension funds and life insurers, and in extremis the BoJ could resume buying itself.
From Barron's ● Feb. 10, 2026
“Warning Signs” promises to be even more of a nail-biter than Sierra’s debut, a deepening of her examination of families in extremis, which should earn it a top spot in readers’ TBR list.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 30, 2026
It is a riveting look at a woman in extremis, channeling a lifetime of pain into one final incandescent act of strength and sacrifice.
From New York Times ● Apr. 16, 2024
"Obviously if someone is in extremis, is unwell, we need to treat them. We have a duty to do that," he said.
From BBC ● Jan. 15, 2024
Every planetary nebula is a token of a star in extremis.
From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan
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.
