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publish or perish

Idioms  
  1. Produce published work or fall into disfavor. For example, The younger members of the department have a heavier teaching load, but they also know it's publish or perish. This expression is nearly always used for college or university teachers, for whom advancement frequently is predicated on publishing research in their field. [Mid-1900s]


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 pressure to publish or perish, or to win administrative funding, contributes to an environment where the rules get softened.

From Science Magazine • Sep. 12, 2018

It’s not just publish or perish; it’s publish and flourish.

From Science Magazine • Sep. 12, 2018

McGurk: So, I’m on the tenure track, which means that I have to publish or perish.

From Slate • Nov. 8, 2017

He hoped that it might end the harmful culture of publish or perish by showing that some papers were more cited — and hence more valuable — than others.

From Nature • Nov. 7, 2017

Professors publish or perish on the theory, bluntly stated by Humanities Dean Joshua Prawer, that "where there is a choice between a good scholar or a good teacher, we will always take the scholar."

From Time Magazine Archive

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