perish

ˈpɛrɪʃ

Definition

Conjugation

Definition of perish - Reverso English Dictionary

Verb

intr.

die suddenlydie especially in a sudden or violent way

Many ancient warriors perished on the battlefield..

die

expire

succumb

mortalitycome to an end or be destroyed forever

The ancient civilization perished long ago.

die

expire

go bad

Rare

decay and become unusable

Rare

The old rubber band perished over time.

decay

deteriorate

Add a suggestion |

Feedback:

Expressions with perish

💡 Discover popular phrases, idioms, collocations, or phrasal verbs. Click any expression to learn more, listen to its pronunciation, or save it to your favorites.

adapt or perish

change to survive

In a rapidly changing world, businesses must adapt or perish.

publish or perish

release work frequently to maintain status

Researchers often feel pressured to publish or perish in their fields.

perish the thought

exp.

expresses rejection of an undesirable idea

You think I would do that? Perish the thought!

Origin of perish

Latin, perire (to pass away)

Terms with perish included in their meaning

💡 A powerful way to uncover related words, idioms, and expressions linked by the same idea — and explore meaning beyond exact word matches.

die like flies

mass death

perish in large numbers quickly and unexpectedly

Examples of perish in a sentence

He feared he would perish in the harsh conditions.
Many species may perish if the habitat is destroyed.
Without water, the crops will perish in the heat.
The fabric perished after years in the attic.
The food perished without refrigeration.

View all translations of perish

✨Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.

French:périr, disparaître, ...
German:umkommen, untergehen, ...
Italian:perire, andare in rovina, ...
Spanish:perecer, desaparecer, ...
Portuguese:perecer, desaparecer, ...
Chinese:牺牲, 消亡, ...
Japanese:死ぬ, 消滅する, ...
Arabic:هَلَكَ, فَنِيَ, ...
Hebrew:לָמוּת, לְהִיכָּחֵד, ...
Russian:погибнуть, погибать, ...
Ukrainian:загинути, гинути, ...
Hindi:मारा जाना, नष्ट होना, ...
Bengali:নিহত হওয়া, ধ্বংস হয়ে যাওয়া, ...
Catalan:perir, extingir-se, ...
Czech:zahynout, zaniknout, ...
Danish:omkomme, udslettes, ...
Dutch:omkomen, vergaan, ...
Greek:σκοτώνομαι, καταστρέφομαι, ...
Hungarian:elpusztulni, megsemmisülni, ...
Khmer:ស្លាប់បាត់បង់ជីវិត, វិនាស, ...
Korean:죽다, 멸망하다, ...
Persian:جان باختن, نابود شد, ...
Polish:zginąć, ginąć, ...
Portuguese (BR):perecer, desaparecer, ...
Romanian:a muri, a dispărea, ...
Swedish:omkomma, gå under, ...
Thai:สิ้นชีพ, สิ้นสุด, ...
Turkish:ölmek, yok olmak, ...
Vietnamese:tử nạn, hủy diệt, ...

Discover how Reverso redefines the dictionary

Go beyond “simple words”

100,000 expressions & idioms Understand any expression you come across: from corporate jargon like 💬 touch base or ↩️ circle back to everyday expressions such as 🌊 out of the blue or 🦆 lame duck, as well as idioms like 🍲 spill the beans and 🐎 hold your horses.

40,000 images When you search for a concrete noun or object, images help you grasp the meaning at a glance. Try searching for 🧵 puppytooth, 🎠 merry-go-round, ⚜️ fleur-de-lys, or 💤 bunk bed.

Informal language & slang Everyday conversations are packed with informal expressions and slang. Meanings are clearly tagged, so you'll always know when a word is casual. Look up hangry (😋 hungry + 😡 angry), 😎 rizz, 🕹️ noob, or 🔑 low-key.

Abbreviations & acronyms Quickly decode modern abbreviations and acronyms. Go from IDK to OMG in seconds and stay up to date with popular abbreviations such as 🐐 GOAT, 📜 tl;dr, 👀 POV, or 🖥️ AFK.

Regional usage (US / UK) Reverso highlights regional differences between American and British English. You’ll never have to wonder where a word is commonly used: try lift vs. elevator, courgette vs. zucchini, or popular British slang like dodgy or banter. What’s more, when you search for 'color', you’ll immediately see its British counterpart, 'colour'.

Get more than a simple definition

Translations for each meaning View translations alongside each meaning to see how a word is translated in each context. Simply toggle translations ON and choose among 25+ languages. You can also display the translation of definitions or examples into your native language to deepen your understanding.

Synonyms & related words by meaning View synonyms and related words for each meaning, not just for the word as a whole. This helps you choose the most accurate word for your context. Click the

icon to discover related terms: analogies, antonyms, common collocates, words with same roots, umbrella terms… Try with happening or hunch.

Multiple examples for every meaning Each meaning comes with three real-life examples to show you how the word is used in different contexts. Click the

icon next to the first example to see two additional options and learn to use new vocabulary naturally.

Go from understanding to mastery

Save words for later review Click the

icon to save words you want to revisit. You can also save a specific meaning by clicking on the

icon next to it. For example, you might want to save the word “table” as a verb, which means “to postpone”.

Practice with personalized flashcards Reverso automatically transforms your searches and saved words into personalized flashcards and quizzes, featuring high-quality audio and usage examples. This helps you transform terms you only recognize into words you actually use confidently.

Learn with Netflix, YouTube, and your favorite texts With Reverso Chrome extension, transform movies, TV shows, articles, or song lyrics into an interactive lesson. Look up words and expressions in one click on any website and learn with your favorite content.