expire
verb
ex·pire
ik-ˈspī(-ə)r 
usually for intransitive sense 3 and transitive sense 2 ek-
expired; expiring
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
Ed Haislmaier3
: to emit the breath
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
The settlement remained until June 24, 1968, when the Department of the Interior forced residents out because their permit to use park land had expired.
—Leo Bertucci, The Courier-Journal, 2 Aug. 2025
The settlement expired in May, but NIJC has argued in court filings and hearings that it should be extended.
—Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 2 Aug. 2025
But now that the contract has expired, Williams has self-released the collection of songs via her own new venture, cleverly titled Post Atlantic.
—Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 1 Aug. 2025
And a corporate tax surcharge that was supposed to expire would be extended to 2028, raising another $128 million over the coming biennium.
—Keith M. Phaneuf, Hartford Courant, 31 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for expire
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Leo Bertucci, The Courier-Journal, 2 Aug. 2025
The settlement expired in May, but NIJC has argued in court filings and hearings that it should be extended.
—Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 2 Aug. 2025
But now that the contract has expired, Williams has self-released the collection of songs via her own new venture, cleverly titled Post Atlantic.
—Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 1 Aug. 2025
And a corporate tax surcharge that was supposed to expire would be extended to 2028, raising another $128 million over the coming biennium.
—Keith M. Phaneuf, Hartford Courant, 31 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for expire
Cite this Entry
“Expire.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/expire. Accessed 5 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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: to come to an end : be no longer in force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
: 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
J. D. RatcliffLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
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