Idioms are vibrant expressions that add depth and color to our language, often conveying complex ideas in a concise and imaginative way. They rarely mean exactly what the words suggest, but they carry cultural and emotional weight that makes conversations more engaging. Idioms about dying, in particular, offer a unique perspective on how we talk about the end of life—sometimes with humor, sometimes with solemnity, but always with creativity. These phrases are commonly used in everyday speech, literature, and media, making them valuable for anyone looking to deepen their understanding of English expressions.
Exploring idioms related to death can also spark curiosity about language’s ability to soften, poeticize, or even make light of a heavy topic. For learners, writers, or anyone interested in the nuances of communication, these idioms provide insight into how we navigate sensitive subjects. In this article, you’ll discover 45 idioms for dying, complete with their meanings, example sentences, and alternative ways to express them. Plus, a fun exercise will help you practice using these phrases in context. Let’s embark on this fascinating journey through the language of life’s final chapter!
Idioms for Dying
1. Kick the bucket
Meaning: To die or pass away.
In a Sentence: After a long and adventurous life, Old Man Jenkins finally kicked the bucket last week.
Other Ways to Say: Pass away, Meet one’s end
2. Bite the dust
Meaning: To die, often suddenly or in a dramatic way.
In a Sentence: The villain in the movie bit the dust after a fierce battle with the hero.
Other Ways to Say: Meet one’s demise, Fall in battle
3. Give up the ghost
Meaning: To die or stop functioning (often used for machines as well).
In a Sentence: My grandfather’s old radio gave up the ghost after decades of faithful service.
Other Ways to Say: Pass on, Cease to work
4. Croak
Meaning: To die, usually in an informal or blunt way.
In a Sentence: I thought my goldfish was going to croak when I forgot to feed it for three days.
Other Ways to Say: Die, Kick off
5. Push up daisies
Meaning: To be dead and buried, often with a humorous tone.
In a Sentence: If I don’t finish this project on time, my boss will have me pushing up daisies!
Other Ways to Say: Be six feet under, Rest in peace
6. Meet one’s maker
Meaning: To die and face judgment or the afterlife.
In a Sentence: After a long illness, she peacefully met her maker surrounded by family.
Other Ways to Say: Go to the afterlife, Pass to the great beyond
7. Cash in one’s chips
Meaning: To die, often with a gambling metaphor.
In a Sentence: He lived a wild life, but eventually, he cashed in his chips at the age of 92.
Other Ways to Say: Check out, Depart this world
8. Shuffle off this mortal coil
Meaning: To die, often with a poetic or literary tone.
In a Sentence: In the play, the character dramatically shuffled off this mortal coil after a tragic betrayal.
Other Ways to Say: Leave this life, Pass into eternity
9. Buy the farm
Meaning: To die, often unexpectedly.
In a Sentence: The pilot narrowly escaped danger, but his co-pilot sadly bought the farm during the crash.
Other Ways to Say: Perish, Meet an untimely end
10. Go to the great beyond
Meaning: To die and enter the afterlife.
In a Sentence: After a life full of kindness, she went to the great beyond with a smile.
Other Ways to Say: Pass on, Enter eternity
11. Drop dead
Meaning: To die suddenly or unexpectedly.
In a Sentence: I was shocked when I heard that my neighbor just dropped dead while jogging.
Other Ways to Say: Collapse and die, Pass suddenly
12. Pass away
Meaning: A polite way to say someone has died.
In a Sentence: My beloved grandmother passed away peacefully in her sleep last night.
Other Ways to Say: Depart, Leave this world
13. Peg out
Meaning: To die, often used informally.
In a Sentence: After years of telling wild stories, Uncle Joe finally pegged out at the family reunion.
Other Ways to Say: Kick the bucket, Pass on
14. Go belly up
Meaning: To die or fail (often used for businesses too).
In a Sentence: The old stray cat that roamed our street went belly up after a long winter.
Other Ways to Say: Die, Give out
15. Snuff it
Meaning: To die, usually in a casual or irreverent tone.
In a Sentence: I told my friend I’d snuff it if I had to sit through another boring lecture.
Other Ways to Say: Croak, Pass away
16. Cross the Rainbow Bridge
Meaning: A gentle way to say a pet has died.
In a Sentence: Our dog Max crossed the Rainbow Bridge after years of loyal companionship.
Other Ways to Say: Pass on (for pets), Go to pet heaven
17. Take a dirt nap
Meaning: To die and be buried, often with dark humor.
In a Sentence: If I don’t get some sleep soon, I’ll be taking a dirt nap before the weekend!
Other Ways to Say: Push up daisies, Be six feet under
18. Go to one’s eternal rest
Meaning: To die and enter a peaceful afterlife.
In a Sentence: After a life of service, the pastor went to his eternal rest last Sunday.
Other Ways to Say: Rest forever, Pass into peace
19. Breathe one’s last
Meaning: To take one’s final breath and die.
In a Sentence: The old sailor breathed his last while gazing at the sea he loved.
Other Ways to Say: Die, Exhale for the last time
20. Pop one’s clogs
Meaning: To die, often with a humorous or lighthearted tone.
In a Sentence: My great-uncle popped his clogs right after telling his favorite joke.
Other Ways to Say: Kick the bucket, Pass away
21. Join the choir invisible
Meaning: To die, often with a poetic or whimsical tone.
In a Sentence: After a long career in music, she joined the choir invisible last spring.
Other Ways to Say: Pass on, Go to the afterlife
22. Be six feet under
Meaning: To be dead and buried.
In a Sentence: If I fail this exam, my parents will have me six feet under by dinner!
Other Ways to Say: Push up daisies, Be gone
23. Check out
Meaning: To die or leave, often casually.
In a Sentence: He checked out after a long battle with illness, leaving behind a legacy.
Other Ways to Say: Depart, Pass away
24. Go west
Meaning: To die, often with a historical or cowboy-inspired tone.
In a Sentence: The old rancher went west after a lifetime under the open sky.
Other Ways to Say: Pass on, Meet one’s end
25. Slip away
Meaning: To die quietly or peacefully.
In a Sentence: She slipped away in the night, surrounded by her loved ones.
Other Ways to Say: Pass gently, Fade away
26. Meet one’s end
Meaning: To die, often in a dramatic or final way.
In a Sentence: The knight met his end bravely on the battlefield, defending his kingdom.
Other Ways to Say: Perish, Come to an end
27. Fall off the perch
Meaning: To die, often used humorously for people or animals.
**In a Sentence###### Other Ways to Say: Kick the bucket, Croak
28. Go to glory
Meaning: To die and ascend to heaven or a divine state.
In a Sentence: After a life of faith, she went to glory, leaving behind a legacy of love.
Other Ways to Say: Pass to heaven, Meet one’s maker
29. Lay down one’s life
Meaning: To die, especially sacrificially or heroically.
In a Sentence: The firefighter laid down his life to save the family trapped in the blaze.
Other Ways to Say: Sacrifice oneself, Die heroically
30. Pass into the void
Meaning: To die, often with a philosophical or mysterious tone.
In a Sentence: The explorer passed into the void during his quest for the lost city.
Other Ways to Say: Vanish forever, Go into nothingness
31. Turn up one’s toes
Meaning: To die, often with a playful or informal tone.
**In a long and fulfilling life, the comedian turned up his toes after one last laugh.
Other Ways to Say: Kick the bucket, Pass away
32. Fade away
Meaning: To die gradually or quietly.
In a Sentence: The old traditions of the village faded away as the elders passed on.
Other Ways to Say: Slip away, Wither
33. Give up the fight
Meaning: To stop struggling and die, often after a prolonged effort.
In a Sentence: After months in the hospital, he gave up the fight and passed peacefully.
Other Ways to Say: Succumb, Let go
34. Ride into the sunset
Meaning: To die or leave in a poetic or romanticized manner.
In a Sentence: The cowboy rode into the sunset, never to be seen again by the townsfolk.
Other Ways to Say: Depart forever, Go west
35. Answer the final call
Meaning: To die, often with a sense of inevitability or duty.
In a Sentence: The old soldier answered the final call after a lifetime of service to his country.
Other Ways to Say: Meet one’s fate, Go to the end
36. Go out like a light
Meaning: To die or lose consciousness suddenly.
In a Sentence: He went out like a light after a sudden heart attack during the game.
Other Ways to Say: Drop dead, Pass instantly
37. Cross over
Meaning: To die and transition to the afterlife.
In a Sentence: My aunt crossed over last month, leaving behind a legacy of kindness and generosity.
Other Ways to Say: Pass on, Move to the other side
38. Kick off
Meaning: To die, often used casually.
In a Sentence: I heard that the old shopkeeper kicked off right after selling his last loaf of bread.**
Other Ways to Say: Croak, Pass away
39. Conk out
Meaning: To die or stop working, often abruptly.
In a Sentence: My ancient fridge finally conked out, just like my uncle did last summer.**
Other Ways to Say: Give out, Die suddenly
40. Depart this life
Meaning: A formal way to say someone has died.
In a Sentence: The queen departed this life after ruling wisely for over fifty years.**
Other Ways to Say: Pass away, Leave this world
41. Take one’s final curtain
Meaning: To die, often with a theatrical or dramatic tone.
In a Sentence: The legendary actor took her final curtain call after a stellar performance.**
Other Ways to Say: Meet one’s end, Bow out
42. Go to the other side
Meaning: To die and enter the afterlife.
In a Sentence: After a life of adventure, he went to the other side with stories untold.**
Other Ways to Say: Cross over, Pass into eternity
43. Flatline
Meaning: To die, often in a medical context referring to a heart monitor.
In a Sentence: The patient flatlined despite the doctors’ best efforts to save him.**
Other Ways to Say: Die, Stop living
44. Be no more
Meaning: To cease to exist or live.
In a Sentence: The ancient tree, once a village landmark, was no more after the storm.**
Other Ways to Say: Perish, Vanish
45. Rest in eternal slumber
Meaning: To die and remain in a sleep-like state, often poetic.
In a Sentence: The warrior rested in eternal slumber after his final victory.**
Other Ways to Say: Sleep forever, Pass into eternal rest
Practical Exercise
Fill in the blanks:
- After a long illness, my grandfather peacefully _______ away surrounded by family.
- If I don’t finish this work, my boss will have me _______ up daisies!
- The old car finally _______ out after years of loyal service.
- Our beloved dog _______ the Rainbow Bridge after a happy life.
- The hero in the story _______ his _______ bravely during the battle.
- I heard the old sailor _______ his last while staring at the ocean.
- She was so exhausted she felt like she was going to _______ the bucket any moment.
- The villain in the movie _______ the dust after a dramatic showdown.
- After a life of faith, she _______ to glory with a serene heart.
- The explorer _______ into the void while searching for the lost treasure.
- My uncle always joked he’d _______ his clogs** after one last big meal.
- The knight _______ off this mortal coil in a scene full of tragedy.
- Don’t worry about the stress; you won’t _______ a dirt nap just yet!
- The old rancher _______ west after a lifetime under the stars.
- She _______ away quietly in the night, leaving behind a legacy of love.
Answers:
pass, pushing, conked, crossed, met his maker, breathed, kick, bit, went, passed, pop his, shuffled, take, went, slipped
Conclusion
Idioms about dying are a captivating way to explore how language reflects our thoughts and feelings about mortality. From humorous quips to poetic reflections, these phrases make conversations more expressive and culturally rich. By learning and practicing these idioms, you can enhance your communication skills and gain a deeper appreciation for the creativity of English.
Try using these idioms in your writing, storytelling, or casual chats to add flair and meaning. With time, they’ll feel like second nature, enriching your ability to connect with others. Language is a powerful tool, and idioms about dying offer a unique way to explore life’s profound moments with wit and wisdom.