moribund
Americanadjective
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in a dying state; near death.
He arrived at the hospital moribund, and passed away a few hours later.
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on the verge of extinction or termination.
moribund species, largely due to human encroachment on their natural habitat.
-
not progressing or advancing; stagnant.
a moribund political party.
adjective
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near death
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stagnant; without force or vitality
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of moribund
First recorded in 1715–25; from Latin moribundus “dying,” equivalent to mori- (stem of morī “to die”) + -bundus adjective suffix
Explanation
Something that is moribund is almost dead, like a moribund economy that has been stuck in a recession for years. In Latin, mori means "to die." You probably recognize this root in words like mortal, mortician, and mortuary. Moribund means "near death," but it can also mean something that is coming to an end, nearly obsolete, or stagnant. For example, as streaming videos over the Internet becomes a more and more popular way to watch movies and television shows, the DVD has become a moribund medium.
Vocabulary lists containing moribund
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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Heart of Darkness
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Silent Spring
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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.
The residents have co-opted Kim's poetic nom de plume "Su-wha" for their moribund tree.
From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026
The Angels fired pitching coach Mike Maddux and two other major league pitching coaches Tuesday, the latest decision in interim general manager John Mozeliak’s aggressive push to revitalize the moribund franchise.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026
In 2024, after a moribund start, they surged to reach the NLCS.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
On the one hand, the Constitution is moribund with respect to formal amendment.
From Salon ● May 18, 2026
Crabs set upon and destroyed the moribund fishes, but the next day were dead themselves.
From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson
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.
