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

China has acted as a lifeline for North Korea's moribund economy as its largest trading partner as well as an important source of diplomatic and political support.

From Barron's

But trade with China, much of it through Dandong, is a key lifeline for North Korea's moribund economy, under UN sanctions because of its nuclear weapons programme.

From Barron's

For an industry that’s always in flux, the revival of the melodrama might just be the savior that the once moribund mid-budget film has been seeking.

From Salon

In a diplomatic overture, the Communist regime is aiming to open up its moribund economy to the affluent Cuban-American diaspora.

From The Wall Street Journal

Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter, his Republican and Democratic successors, dealt with the same moribund economy, and Carter oversaw another oil crisis in 1979 precipitated by the Iranian Revolution.

From Salon