perished; perishing; perishes
1
: to become destroyed or ruined : cease to exist
recollection of a past already long since perished—
Philip Sherrard
Philip Sherrardguard against your mistakes or your attempts (perish the thought) to cheat—C. B. Davis
C. B. Davis2
chiefly British
: deteriorate, spoil
Synonyms
Examples of perish in a Sentence
Two people perished in the fire.
The sailors perished at sea.
The civilization perished after 500 years.
Many ancient languages have perished over time.
The rubber will perish with age.
Recent Examples on the Web
His survival, contrasted with the heartbreaking loss of over forty relatives, including his parents and grandmother who perished in the Holocaust, has shaped my understanding of the fragility of freedom and the strength of the human spirit.
—Joanie Schirm, Orlando Sentinel, 2 Feb. 2025
Almost two years ago, the BBC greenlit a three-part drama about the Grenfell Tower fire, a national tragedy in which 72 people perished in a devastating blaze at a London housing block.
—Jake Kanter, Deadline, 29 Jan. 2025
In France today, there are cemeteries containing thousands of heroic American soldiers who perished defending America, Europe and the Free World from the Nazi onslaught.
—Avi Weiss, New York Daily News, 27 Jan. 2025
In a quiet and somber moment, the event commemorated more than 1.1 million people, mostly Jews, who perished in gas chambers or from starvation, cold and disease at the camp.
—NBC News, 27 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for perish 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Joanie Schirm, Orlando Sentinel, 2 Feb. 2025
Almost two years ago, the BBC greenlit a three-part drama about the Grenfell Tower fire, a national tragedy in which 72 people perished in a devastating blaze at a London housing block.
—Jake Kanter, Deadline, 29 Jan. 2025
In France today, there are cemeteries containing thousands of heroic American soldiers who perished defending America, Europe and the Free World from the Nazi onslaught.
—Avi Weiss, New York Daily News, 27 Jan. 2025
In a quiet and somber moment, the event commemorated more than 1.1 million people, mostly Jews, who perished in gas chambers or from starvation, cold and disease at the camp.
—NBC News, 27 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for perish
Dictionary Entries Near perish
Cite this Entry
“Perish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/perish. Accessed 8 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
perish
verb
per·ish
ˈper-ish 
: to pass away completely : become destroyed
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share