1
as in to die
to stop living
12 people perished in the plane crash
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to disintegrate
chiefly British
to go through decomposition
after being left out in the summer heat, the milk perished and had to be thrown out
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of perish
Jaxon’s death comes after two children in the agency’s care perished.
—
Julia Prodis Sulek, Mercury News, 14 Apr. 2026
Phillips was among the 1,500 who perished.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 10 Apr. 2026
Detailed wage reports from the California Employment Development Department for the seven employees who perished show no reportable income from Devastating Pyrotechnics, despite several of the men having been associated with the company for years.
—Joe Rubin, Sacbee.com, 10 Apr. 2026
The family’s birds, cats and dogs also perished in the fire.
—Gabrielle Rockson, PEOPLE, 10 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for perish
Julia Prodis Sulek, Mercury News, 14 Apr. 2026
Phillips was among the 1,500 who perished.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 10 Apr. 2026
Detailed wage reports from the California Employment Development Department for the seven employees who perished show no reportable income from Devastating Pyrotechnics, despite several of the men having been associated with the company for years.
—Joe Rubin, Sacbee.com, 10 Apr. 2026
The family’s birds, cats and dogs also perished in the fire.
—Gabrielle Rockson, PEOPLE, 10 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for perish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for perish
Verb
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In 2019, Elisa Serna died at the Las Colinas women’s jail after a doctor and nurse left her alone after watching her collapse.—
Kelly Davis,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
-
That’s the year the Boston Marathon suffered a terrorist attack in which three people died and hundreds more were injured.—
Cressida Leyshon,
New Yorker,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Indeed, with Iran’s refusal to end hostilities on unfavorable terms and willingness to fight to the end, alongside Israel’s belligerence and desire to disintegrate the Iranian state, risks of further escalation remain.—
Alexander Langlois,
Oc Register,
22 Apr. 2026
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Late Saturday, rescue crews were trying to determine whether the ValuJet aircraft disintegrated on impact or partially lodged itself in the soft, marshy terrain of the Everglades.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
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His portfolio fell 44% in the dot-com crash, and sustained a 40% loss in 2008.—
Terry Savage,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Lee then came up to the plate and fell behind in the count 1-2.—
Tony Gleason,
Daily News,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The body was decomposed and dismembered.—
City News Service,
Daily News,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Her arms and legs had been cut off, and her body was significantly decomposed, according to the report.—
Steven J. Horowitz,
Variety,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Boone was transported to Yale New Haven Hospital but later succumbed to his injuries.—
Staff Report,
Hartford Courant,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Mullins, 26, died on the floor of the store, succumbing to his wounds before paramedics arrived.—
Nate Gartrell,
Mercury News,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Do not pile mulch against the tree’s trunk; that can cause the bark to rot.—
Beth Botts,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Apr. 2026
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Some family members of those whose bodies were left to rot had urged Judge Eric Bentley to impose the maximum sentence.—
Colleen Slevin,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
There was nothing quaint about the making of Apocalypse Now, for which Tavoularis created a nightmarish jungle kingdom with a decaying temple — inspired by the ancient Angkor Wat in Cambodia — as its centerpiece.—
Mike Barnes,
HollywoodReporter,
23 Apr. 2026
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By removing the decaying cells created by the high-salt diet, the drug allowed the remaining healthy tissue to maintain its elasticity and respond correctly to blood flow demands.—
Khloe Quill,
FOXNews.com,
22 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Perish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/perish. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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