expiration
noun
ex·pi·ra·tion
ˌek-spə-ˈrā-shən 
1
a
: the last emission of breath : death
b(1)
: the act or process of releasing air from the lungs through the nose or mouth : exhalation
(2)
: the escape of carbon dioxide from the body protoplasm (as through the blood and lungs or by diffusion)
2
: the fact of coming to an end or the point at which something ends : termination
Examples of expiration in a Sentence
one month after the expiration of the contract
directed that upon her expiration her splendid Italian-style villa be given to the public as a museum
Recent Examples on the Web
The multiyear effort comes as Merck prepares to offset revenue losses from the upcoming patent expiration of its blockbuster cancer drug Keytruda in 2028.
—
Annika Kim Constantino, CNBC, 29 July 2025
Indianapolis signed left guard Quenton Nelson, right tackle Braden Smith and former center Ryan Kelly (now with the Minnesota Vikings) to massive extensions prior to the expiration of their rookie deals.
—James Boyd, New York Times, 29 July 2025
Local governments and food pantries are already preparing for higher demand, while the expiration of work requirement waivers in 2026 could mean earlier benefit losses for thousands.
—Jennifer Jones Austin, New York Daily News, 29 July 2025
Negotiators from both countries met in Stockholm on July 28 for another round of discussions, with the clock ticking toward the Aug. 12 expiration of the temporary truce between the top economies.
—Francesca Chambers, USA Today, 29 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for expiration
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Annika Kim Constantino, CNBC, 29 July 2025
Indianapolis signed left guard Quenton Nelson, right tackle Braden Smith and former center Ryan Kelly (now with the Minnesota Vikings) to massive extensions prior to the expiration of their rookie deals.
—James Boyd, New York Times, 29 July 2025
Local governments and food pantries are already preparing for higher demand, while the expiration of work requirement waivers in 2026 could mean earlier benefit losses for thousands.
—Jennifer Jones Austin, New York Daily News, 29 July 2025
Negotiators from both countries met in Stockholm on July 28 for another round of discussions, with the clock ticking toward the Aug. 12 expiration of the temporary truce between the top economies.
—Francesca Chambers, USA Today, 29 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for expiration
Cite this Entry
“Expiration.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/expiration. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
expiration
noun
ex·pi·ra·tion
ˌek-spə-ˈrā-shən
1
a
: the expelling of air from the lungs in breathing
b
: air or vapor expelled from the lungs
2
: the fact of coming to an end
Medical Definition
expiration
noun
ex·pi·ra·tion
ˌek-spə-ˈrā-shən
1
a(1)
: the act or process of releasing air from the lungs through the nose or mouth : exhalation
(2)
: the escape of carbon dioxide from the body protoplasm (as through the blood and lungs or by diffusion)
b
archaic
: the last emission of breath : death
2
: something produced by breathing out
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