moribund

adjective

mor·​i·​bund ˈmȯr-ə-(ˌ)bənd How to pronounce moribund (audio)
ˈmär-
1
: being in the state of dying : approaching death
in the moribund patient deepening stupor and coma are the usual preludes to deathNorman Cameron
2
: being in a state of inactivity or obsolescence
a moribund virus
a moribund volcano
prune the moribund files from your disk foreverD. S. Janal
moribundity noun

Did you know?

Moribund Gets Less Literal

Moribund is still sometimes used in its original literal sense of "approaching death", but it's much more often used to describe things. When the economy goes bad, we hear about moribund mills and factories and towns; the economy itself may even be called moribund. Critics may speak of the moribund state of poetry, or lament the moribund record or newspaper industry.

Examples of moribund in a Sentence

an actor who is trying to revive his moribund career The peace talks are moribund.
Recent Examples on the Web The Baltimore Orioles’ ascension from the ashes of irrelevance has rejuvenated a once moribund franchise who were regular cellar dwellers in the American League East. Wayne G. McDonnell, Jr., Forbes, 19 Feb. 2024 The Detroit Lions quarterback has quickly become one of the most beloved athletes in recent history after helping lead a turnaround for the traditionally moribund franchise in his three seasons since being traded to Detroit. Jared Ramsey, Detroit Free Press, 27 Jan. 2024 Focusing on the all-too-short life of Kelly would be a powerful reminder of a Black designer who took on the then-hierarchical and moribund institution of Paris fashion and won. Mark Holgate, Vogue, 27 Jan. 2024 In Bakersfield, the high-speed rail station is central to the city’s revitalization plans for a downtown core left moribund by suburban flight. Melissa Gomez, Los Angeles Times, 8 Feb. 2024 The moribund Oceanwide Plaza project, an unfinished development across the street from Crypto.com Arena, became the source of a new headache for Los Angeles officials this week when multiple people used the high-rise as a launching pad for paragliding. Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 13 Feb. 2024 The not-so-good news is that the DOE has been working on this for nearly half a century, and has little more than the moribund Yucca Mountain to show for it. Teri Sforza, Orange County Register, 8 Feb. 2024 But those Israelis who do favor a two-state solution have been buoyed by Biden’s rekindling of a concept long since considered moribund in geopolitical conversation. Andrea Mitchell, NBC News, 6 Feb. 2024 The loan office was effectively moribund during the Trump administration. Clifford Krauss, New York Times, 22 June 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'moribund.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin moribundus, from mori to die — more at murder

First Known Use

circa 1721, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of moribund was circa 1721

Dictionary Entries Near moribund

Cite this Entry

“Moribund.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/moribund. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

moribund

adjective
mor·​i·​bund ˈmȯr-ə-(ˌ)bənd How to pronounce moribund (audio)
ˈmär-
: nearly dead

Medical Definition

moribund

adjective
mor·​i·​bund ˈmȯr-ə-(ˌ)bənd, ˈmär- How to pronounce moribund (audio)
: being in the state of dying : approaching death
in the moribund patient deepening stupor and coma are the usual preludes to deathNorman Cameron

More from Merriam-Webster on moribund

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!