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Definitions

die off

[dahy-awf, -of] / ˈdaɪˌɔf, -ˌɒf /
VERB
recede
Synonyms
STRONGEST
abate decrease diminish dwindle ebb fade fall back lessen reduce retreat shrink sink subside taper wane
STRONG
back close decline depart drop regress retire retract retrograde retrogress return
WEAK
drain away draw back flow back go away go back retrocede
Antonyms
STRONGEST
develop enhance enlarge expand extend face forge grow increase meet prolong raise rise strengthen
STRONG
ascend begin continue enter
WEAK
advance forward
VERB
retrocede
Synonyms
WEAK
abate back close decline decrease depart diminish drain away draw back drop dwindle ebb fade fall back flow back go away go back lessen reduce regress retire retract retreat retrograde retrogress return shrink sink subside taper wane

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.

In 2015, the antelope suffered a mass die-off and it was feared that the Ice Age survivors would become extinct.

From BBC • Mar. 24, 2026

The end-Permian mass extinction, the most devastating die-off in Earth's history, struck about 252 million years ago and was followed by extreme global warming.

From Science Daily • Feb. 25, 2026

These toxic elements sat in the channel’s then-stagnant water, which led to a die-off of all vegetation and the emission of foul-smelling hydrogen sulfide.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 7, 2026

Earlier this year, scientists warned that bird flu had sparked the worst die-off on record for southern elephant seals when it spread among a population on Argentina's coast in 2023.

From Barron's • Nov. 13, 2025

Even a year after treatment, a spring die-off of songbirds occurred and much good nesting territory lay silent and unoccupied.

From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson

From Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.