# pine away

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/pine-away
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To mourn or grieve so intensely as to slowly decline in health, vitality or energy.

## Examples

- He started to pine away after his best friend moved abroad.
- She spent her days sitting by the window, pining away for a life she could no longer have.
- Rather than accepting the inevitable end of their partnership, he chose to pine away in solitude, his health failing as he clung to memories of the past.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.