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die-off

die-off

noun

a sudden, natural perishing of large numbers of a species, population, or community.
die off

die off

Perish one by one, as in A celibate community, the Shakers are dying off. [Late 1600s]

Synonyms

die-off

American

[dahy-awf, -of] / ˈdaɪˌɔf, -ˌɒf /

noun

a sudden, natural perishing of large numbers of a species, population, or community.

die-off Scientific

/ dī′ôf′ /

A sudden, severe decline in a population or community of organisms as a result of natural causes. Local die-offs can be caused by such factors as an unusual or extreme weather pattern, an outbreak of disease, or toxic algal blooms in a body of water. Widespread or global die-offs in which a species or group of species becomes extinct are generally associated with rapid climate change or other large-scale environmental dislocations.

die off Idioms

Perish one by one, as in A celibate community, the Shakers are dying off. [Late 1600s]

Etymology

Origin of die-off

First recorded in 1935–40; noun use of verb phrase die off

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.

See Examples For:

die-off die off

The end-Permian mass extinction, the most devastating die-off in Earth's history, struck about 252 million years ago and was followed by extreme global warming.

From Science Daily ● Feb. 25, 2026

Earlier this year, scientists warned that bird flu had sparked the worst die-off on record for southern elephant seals when it spread among a population on Argentina's coast in 2023.

From Barron's ● Nov. 13, 2025

But the whelk is a cold-water species, and a marine heatwave in 2022 triggered a mass die-off of these snails in the Thames Estuary.

From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2025

He’s talking about the failure to recognize the consequences of climate change manifesting in the surrounding wetlands’ die-off.

From Salon ● Jul. 25, 2025

The die-off happened amazingly fast—the statistics, according to the study, suggest that it was instantaneous.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann

Species develop a new specialty, exploit that niche, grow rapidly, die off slowly.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026

"Some branches would die off, and others would sprout up," he said.

From Barron's ● Mar. 8, 2026

As the body ages, it accumulates senescent cells, which no longer divide but also do not die off.

From Science Daily ● Jan. 3, 2026

"If we don't do any conservation and let nature take its course and let say the oak die off, you would lose the wider biodiversity around that," said Mr Masters from Kew Gardens.

From BBC ● Oct. 19, 2025

Perhaps the Capitol’s leaders thought that, without help, 13 would die off on its own.

From "Mockingjay" by Suzanne Collins

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023