Definitions

in extremis

[in eks-tre-mees, in ik-stree-mis] / ɪn ɛksˈtrɛ mis, ɪn ɪkˈstri mɪs /

ADJECTIVE

dying

Synonyms

STRONGEST

decaying doomed fading moribund

STRONG

declining disintegrating ebbing fated final going mortal passing perishing sinking vanishing withering

WEAK

at death's door at end of rope done for giving up the ghost on last leg one foot in grave

Antonyms

STRONG

permanent

WEAK

creating developing growing living reviving

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.

And, in its own bloody way, MMA can be beautiful: humans in extremis, rising to the occasion, pushing past their own boundaries to accomplish the impossible under the most adverse of conditions.

From Slate • Jun. 14, 2026

Bond holdings are concentrated in domestic pension funds and life insurers, and in extremis the BoJ could resume buying itself.

From Barron's • Feb. 10, 2026

“Warning Signs” promises to be even more of a nail-biter than Sierra’s debut, a deepening of her examination of families in extremis, which should earn it a top spot in readers’ TBR list.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 30, 2026

It is a riveting look at a woman in extremis, channeling a lifetime of pain into one final incandescent act of strength and sacrifice.

From New York Times • Apr. 16, 2024

Every planetary nebula is a token of a star in extremis.

From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan

in extremis

Example Sentences

Related Words