expire

verb

ex·​pire ik-ˈspī(-ə)r 

 usually for intransitive sense 3 and transitive sense 2  ek-

expired; expiring

intransitive verb

1

: to breathe one's last breath : die

2

: to come to an end: such as

a

: to exceed its period of validity

The contract will expire next month.

b

: to pass its expiration date (see expiration date sense 2)

This milk has expired.

" … when drugs expire, you can't just leave these things lying around."

—Ed Haislmaier

3

: to emit the breath

transitive verb

1

obsolete : conclude

2

: to breathe out from or as if from the lungs

3

archaic : emit

Synonyms

• break off
• break up
• cease
• close
• conclude
• dead-end
• determine
• die
• discontinue
• elapse
• end
• finish
• go
• halt
• lapse
• leave off
• let up
• pass
• quit
• stop
• terminate
• wind up
• wink (out)

Examples of expire in a Sentence

My driver's license has expired.

She expired after a long illness.

measuring the volume of air expired from the lungs

Recent Examples on the Web

Just extending the expiring tax cuts would drive up deficits by $4.6 trillion over 10 years, and all of Trump’s campaign plans would add much as $7.75 trillion, according to estimates by the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, a nonpartisan fiscal watchdog group. —Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 15 Nov. 2024

Gensler’s term expires in June 2026, but some researchers expect Gensler to resign from his post. —William Gavin, Quartz, 8 Nov. 2024

Hernández’s contract with the team expired at the end of the season, while the Dodgers did not extend a $21-million qualifying offer to retain Buehler. —Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2024

Emergency declarations, like for public health reasons as seen during the COVID-19 pandemic, would expire 30 days after they are declared unless the Legislature extends them. —Stacey Barchenger, The Arizona Republic, 5 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Middle French or Latin; Anglo-French espirer to breathe out, from Latin exspirare, from ex- + spirare to breathe

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Kids Definition

expire

verb

ex·​pire ik-ˈspī(ə)r 

 usually for sense 3  ek-

expired; expiring

1

: to breathe one's last breath : die

2

: to come to an end : be no longer in force

this offer expires March 1

my driver's license has expired

3

a

: to let the breath out

b

: to breathe out from or as if from the lungs

Medical Definition

expire

verb

ex·​pire

ik-ˈspī(ə)r, usually for vi 2 and vt ek-

expired; expiring

intransitive verb

1

: to breathe one's last breath : die

2

: to emit the breath

transitive verb

: to breathe out from or as if from the lungs

the basal metabolism test … measures the amount of carbon dioxide expired by the lungs

—J. D. Ratcliff