EN

Synonyms for expire

24 synonyms
2 antonyms
2 meanings

verb

Most common

cease terminate darken

Synonyms by meaning

Verb

1. Die — to die

die, decease, go, pass away, go out, pass, perish, end, terminate, cease, pass over, pass on, croak, depart, buy the farm informal US, pop off, conclude, kick the bucket informal, exit, conk out informal, darken, peg out

2. Exhale

exhale, breathe out

Antonyms

inspire, inhale

All antonyms of expire →

Definitions

v. 1
To die.
The patient expired in hospital.
v. 2
To lapse and become invalid.
My library card will expire next week.

Related words

Word family: expiry expiration

Forms

Past participle: expired
e.g. expired → died, deceased, passed, perished…

Choose the right word

Expire, Die, Cease, Expires or Expired?

Expire (literally, to breathe out) is a softer word for die; it is used figuratively of things that cease to exist by reaching a natural limit; as, a lease expires; the time has expired.

J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)

Example sentences

cease Very few countries could cease trading with China.
terminate Globalists want to terminate the property till 2030.
darken The jealousy is starting to darken Tom's mind.

Popularity over time

Word	1850 → 2019	Trend
expire		falling
cease		falling
terminate		falling
darken		rising

Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.

By length

2 letters: go¹
3 letters: end¹, die¹
4 letters: pass¹, exit²
5 letters: cease¹, croak¹
6 letters: depart², perish², exhale², darken²
7 letters: decease²
8 letters: conclude²
9 letters: terminate³

The small number after each word is its number of syllables (exit² = 2 syllables).

In other languages

Français: expirer
Italiano: spirare
Deutsch: verscheiden