MEANING
To die, especially through violence, disaster, deprivation, or disease; to be destroyed.
Use it for
Use for a solemn account of death, loss, or destruction.Describe death or ruin with a grave, elevated tone.
Words that belong together
- perish in a fire
- perish from hunger
- perish without help
On the page
The explorers perished before the rescue ship reached the island.
Nearby words
Opposite meanings
Word forms
- Base
- perish
- Past tense
- perished
- Past participle
- perished
- Present participle
- perishing
Full tense & aspect guide
- Present
- perish
- Present continuous
- am/is/are perishing
- Present perfect
- have/has perished
- Present perfect continuous
- have/has been perishing
- Past
- perished
- Past continuous
- was/were perishing
- Past perfect
- had perished
- Past perfect continuous
- had been perishing
- Future
- will perish
- Future continuous
- will be perishing
- Future perfect
- will have perished
- Future perfect continuous
- will have been perishing
Choose the auxiliary that agrees with your subject. These are constructions of one word, not separate entries.
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Usage notes
Often sounds formal or literary; people perish by or from a cause, while plants and objects can perish through destruction.
Practice this word in a sentenceYour margin notes
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