noun
demise
dih-MYZ
noun
1
The end or downfall of something, especially in a gradual or unfortunate way.
"The demise of the local newspaper left the town without local coverage."
"Poor management led to the demise of the once-popular chain."
2
A formal or literary word for death.
"News of his sudden demise shocked the community."
How to Use Demise
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe end of something — often used for death, but also for the collapse or decline of a business, project, or institution.
When to use it
Formal; sounds stiff or overly dramatic if used casually about small setbacks.
Common pairings
the demise of
sudden demise
lead to the demise of
Word Forms
demised past tense, demises plural, demises singular
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The _____ of the local newspaper left the town without local coverage.
Etymology
From Old French démise, feminine past participle of démettre ("to relinquish"), from Latin demittere. The "death" sense developed as a euphemism, since a person's death was often the legal event that triggered the transfer of an estate.