moribund
adjective
mor·i·bund
ˈmȯr-ə-(ˌ)bənd 
ˈmär-
1
: being in the state of dying : approaching death
In the moribund patient deepening stupor and coma are the usual preludes to death.—
Norman Cameron
Norman Cameron2
: being in a state of inactivity or obsolescence
a moribund virus
a moribund volcano
prune the moribund files from your disk forever—D. S. Janal
D. S. Janal
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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
First game against Warriors A rookie James’ 29 points were not enough to lift a truly moribund Cavaliers team to victory in his first-ever game against the Warriors.
—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
2 July 2026
Close attention is paid to the crafting of the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, the currently moribund system of checks and balances, and that pesky electoral college.
—
Robert Lloyd,
Los Angeles Times,
30 June 2026
As rightist parties surge across the UK, Labour members are betting on Burnham — who easily won a parliamentary seat last week — to salvage their moribund agenda.
—
Brendan Ruberry,
semafor.com,
21 June 2026
It’s expected that an old galaxy will fizzle out over billions of years, but astronomers’ expectations were turned upside down when the James Webb came online in 2022 and observed a whole graveyard of moribund galaxies when the universe was still in its infancy.
—
Frank Landymore,
Futurism,
10 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for moribund
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Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
2 July 2026
Close attention is paid to the crafting of the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, the currently moribund system of checks and balances, and that pesky electoral college.
—
Robert Lloyd,
Los Angeles Times,
30 June 2026
As rightist parties surge across the UK, Labour members are betting on Burnham — who easily won a parliamentary seat last week — to salvage their moribund agenda.
—
Brendan Ruberry,
semafor.com,
21 June 2026
It’s expected that an old galaxy will fizzle out over billions of years, but astronomers’ expectations were turned upside down when the James Webb came online in 2022 and observed a whole graveyard of moribund galaxies when the universe was still in its infancy.
—
Frank Landymore,
Futurism,
10 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for moribund
Cite this Entry
“Moribund.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/moribund. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
moribund
adjective
mor·i·bund
ˈmȯr-ə-(ˌ)bənd
ˈmär-
: nearly dead
Medical Definition
moribund
adjective
mor·i·bund
ˈmȯr-ə-(ˌ)bənd, ˈmär-
: being in the state of dying : approaching death
in the moribund patient deepening stupor and coma are the usual preludes to death—Norman Cameron
Norman CameronLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
