: a sudden sharp decline of a population of animals or plants that is not caused directly by human activity
died off; dying off; dies off
: to die sequentially either singly or in numbers so that the total number is greatly diminished
Examples of die-off in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Christine Condon, Baltimore Sun, 24 Mar. 2025
Fluctuating temperatures like those the metro experienced over the past week also contribute to their die-offs.
—Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 14 Mar. 2025
Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2025
Crown Bees Honeybees, which are tasked with pollinating many of the agricultural crops in the United States, are dying off in record numbers.
—Martha Ann Overland, NPR, 6 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for die-off
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Noun
But the 2023 conditions were also favorable for the spread of diseases MSX and Dermo, which can cause die-offs in oyster reefs.
—Christine Condon, Baltimore Sun, 24 Mar. 2025
Fluctuating temperatures like those the metro experienced over the past week also contribute to their die-offs.
—Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 14 Mar. 2025
Verb
Species are dying off, sea levels are rising and extreme weather events are occurring more frequently.
—Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2025
Crown Bees Honeybees, which are tasked with pollinating many of the agricultural crops in the United States, are dying off in record numbers.
—Martha Ann Overland, NPR, 6 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for die-off
Cite this Entry
“Die-off.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/die-off. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
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