dying
adjective
dy·ing ˈdī-iŋ 
1
a
: approaching death
a dying man
He had come back three years earlier to care for his dying mother.
Jeff Tietz
: gradually ceasing to be Jeff Tietzthe dying day
a dying fire
b
: having reached an advanced or ultimate stage of decay or disuse
a dying civilization
a dying tradition
2
: of, relating to, or occurring at the time of death or dying
recorded his dying words
promised to fulfill her dying wishes
Synonyms
- moribund
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Word History
First Known Use
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Phrases Containing dying
Kids Definition
dying
present participle of die
Medical Definition
dying
pres part of die
dying 1 of 3
adjective
as in fallen
nearly dead we watered the dying plants just in time Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- fallen
- dead
- gone
- moribund
- sinking
- fading
- declining
- expiring
- deteriorating
- deceased
- at death's door
- passing away
- lifeless
- passed away
- departed
- demised
- defunct
- terminal
- decadent
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- alive
- live
- living
- surviving
- breathing
- quick
- existing
- being
- animate
- subsisting
- thriving
- flourishing
- booming
- roaring
- vital
- bouncing
- prospering
- energetic
- lively
- spirited
- animated
- vivacious
- perky
- frisky
- sprightly
- peppy
- jazzy
- springy
- zippy
- sprightful
dying
2 of 3noun
as in perishing
Synonyms & Similar Words
- perishing
- death
- demise
- expiring
- decease
- fading
- shriveling
- wilting
- ebbing
- withering
- waning
- exit
- expiration
- shrivelling
- declining
- expiry
- end
- decaying
- decay
- reversion
- deterioration
- regression
- retrogression
- decline
- degeneration
- decadence
- declension
- descent
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- maturing
- growth
- maturation
- development
- flowering
- ripening
- flourishing
- blossoming
- softening
- mellowing
dying
3 of 3verb
1
as in falling
to stop living the king died of old age after a long and fruitful reign Synonyms & Similar Words
- perishing
- falling
- succumbing
- going
- disappearing
- expiring
- fading
- departing
- exiting
- deceasing
- ending
- flatlining
- failing
- croaking
- demising
- parting
- dropping
- checking out
- passing away
- popping off
- buying it
- kicking off
- stepping out
- pegging out
- kicking in
- snuffing it
- consuming
- kicking the bucket
- buying the farm
- passing (on)
- giving up the ghost
- biting the dust
- conking (out)
- predeceasing
- drying up
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- living
- breathing
- reviving
- being
- lingering
- existing
- subsisting
- thriving
- prospering
- flourishing
- coming to
2
as in stopping
to come to an end the storm died just as dawn was breaking over the horizon Synonyms & Similar Words
- stopping
- ending
- expiring
- ceasing
- passing
- halting
- going
- concluding
- finishing
- lapsing
- terminating
- closing
- stalling
- elapsing
- discontinuing
- quitting
- determining
- breaking off
- leaving off
- breaking up
- winding up
- letting up
- dead-ending
- staying
- pausing
- biting the dust
- winking (out)
- knocking off
- cutting out
- suspending
- breaking down
- giving over
- winding down
- laying off (of)
- abating
- refraining (from)
- desisting (from)
- packing (up or in)
- conking (out)
- petering (out)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- continuing
- persisting
- prolonging
- hanging on
- extending
- protracting
- drawing out
3
as in failing
to stop functioning fortunately, when the engine died we were only two blocks from home Synonyms & Similar Words
- failing
- crashing
- stalling
- breaking
- cutting out
- breaking down
- wheezing
- giving out
- sputtering
- malfunctioning
- fizzling
- conking (out)
- jamming
- acting up
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- starting (up)