Meaning & use
demise
The end or downfall of something, such as an institution, plan, or era, often after a decline.
See it in a sentence
Poor management and rising costs led to the sudden demise of the once-popular chain.
Historians still debate the causes of the empire's slow demise over several centuries.
A note on using this word
Demise is somewhat formal and often implies a gradual decline rather than a sudden event; it can also mean a person's death in legal or formal writing.
Words with a similar meaning
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
riserevival
Another way to use it
2. noun
A person's death, especially as described in formal or legal contexts.
The lawyer explained what would happen to the estate upon the owner's demise.
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