# perish

/ˈpɛɹɪʃ/ (US) · /pˈɛɹɪʃ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/perish
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. to die

verb · CEFR C1 · Formal · Literary

to die, especially in a sudden, violent, or accidental way.

For teachers: to die or be destroyed, typically through violence, accident, or exposure to harsh conditions.

- Sadly, many animals perish in the forest fires every summer.
- The historical record suggests that thousands of soldiers perished during the long retreat across the frozen plains.

Usage: This verb is intransitive and does not take a direct object.

### 2. to rot or decay

verb · CEFR C1 · British English

to rot or break because of age or bad conditions, especially rubber or food.

For teachers: to suffer physical decay or lose structural integrity, commonly used in reference to organic matter or rubber.

- The rubber seals on the old windows had perished over the years.
- If the fruit is not stored at the correct temperature, it will perish within a matter of days.

Usage: Often used to describe materials like rubber becoming brittle or food going bad.

Teaching tip: In the sense of materials decaying, this is more common in British English than American English.

## Examples

- Many animals perish in the cold winter months.
- The historical records suggest that thousands of soldiers perished during the long march across the frozen mountains.
- Without a sustainable source of clean water, the local ecosystem is likely to perish, leading to an irreversible loss of biodiversity in the region.

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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.