near-death experience

American  

[neer-deth ik-speer-ee-uhns] / ˈnɪərˈdɛθ ɪkˌspɪər i əns /

1. a sensation or vision, as of the afterlife, reported by a person who has come close to death. nde, NDE

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near-death experience British  

noun

1.  NDE.  an experience, instances of which have been widely reported, in which a person near death is apparently outside his body and aware of it and the attendant circumstances as separate from him

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Example Sentences

Indeed, after the industry’s near-death experience during the pandemic, they’ve become more popular than ever.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 30, 2026

Although Alice never ran the risk of actually perishing in Wonderland, Arisu is another matter because of the very nature of the Borderland and how you gain entry through a near-death experience.

From Salon • Sep. 23, 2025

It was his online footprint that ultimately led police to his hospital bedside in Glasgow – ironically as the fugitive was recovering from a genuine near-death experience in the shape of Covid.

From BBC • May 21, 2025

She says it was the dress she wore during a near-death experience.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 11, 2025

In fact, it wasn’t until she’d reviewed the video for her report that she was certain the whole thing wasn’t a hallucination brought on by a near-death experience.

From "Artemis Fowl" by Eoin Colfer