moribund

American  

[mawr-uh-buhnd, mor-] / ˈmɔr əˌbʌnd, ˈmɒr- /

adjective

1. in a dying state; near death.

   He arrived at the hospital moribund, and passed away a few hours later.

2. on the verge of extinction or termination.

   moribund species, largely due to human encroachment on their natural habitat.

3. not progressing or advancing; stagnant.

   a moribund political party.

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moribund British  

/ ˈmɒrɪˌbʌnd /

adjective

1. near death

2. stagnant; without force or vitality

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Other Word Forms

• moribundity noun
• moribundly adverb
• unmoribund adjective
• unmoribundly adverb

Etymology

Origin of moribund

First recorded in 1715–25; from Latin moribundus “dying,” equivalent to mori- (stem of morī “to die”) + -bundus adjective suffix

Example Sentences

In October, Takaichi inherited a moribund Liberal Democratic Party deserted en masse by voters in part because of inflation and a recent slush fund scandal.

From Barron's

He got the attention of senior executives in 2010 when he took over a moribund, money-losing travel division called Adventures by Disney.

From The Wall Street Journal

The nuclear-armed country is under multiple sets of sanctions over its weapons programmes and has long struggled with its moribund state-managed economy and chronic food shortages.

From Barron's

Reforms designed to revive the Caribbean country's moribund economy have been coming thick and fast.

From Barron's

Nuclear-armed North Korea, which is under multiple sets of sanctions over its weapons programmes, has long struggled with its moribund state-managed economy and chronic food shortages.

From Barron's