# die off

CEFR B2 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/die-off
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

to die one by one until there are none left.

For teachers: to undergo a gradual process of extinction or mass expiration within a group or population until few or none remain.

## Examples

- The flowers are dying off because of the frost.
- Many local businesses died off during the economic crisis as people stopped spending money on luxury items.
- Biologists are concerned that the native bee population is dying off due to the widespread use of industrial pesticides.

## Pitfalls

- Not "The last dinosaur died off in the forest." but "The last dinosaur died in the forest." — 'die off' implies a group process over time; use 'die' for a single individual's death.

## Usage notes

- usually refers to a group, species, or collection of things rather than a single individual.
- Teaching tip: contrast with 'die out' (used for entire species or traditions becoming extinct) and 'die down' (used for sounds or intensity decreasing).

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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.