Definition of MORIBUND (original) (raw)
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
2
: being in a state of inactivity or obsolescence
prune the moribund files from your disk forever—D. S. Janal
Did you know?
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.
Synonyms
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 The spigot of cash marks a massive turnaround for relatively moribund Democratic fundraising in recent weeks. —Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 22 July 2024 Paradoxically, the Arab Spring breathed new life into seemingly moribund Arab states. —Shadi Hamid, Foreign Affairs, 8 Sep. 2021 Money market accounts were moribund through the low-interest years, but not today. —Daniel De Visé, USA TODAY, 14 Aug. 2024 As a result, Europe faced economic and political collapse, and the world economy remained moribund. —Robert B. Zoellick, Foreign Affairs, 22 Feb. 2022 See all Example Sentences for moribund 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'moribund.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Latin moribundus, from mori to die — more at murder
First Known Use
circa 1721, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of moribund was circa 1721
Dictionary Entries Near moribund
Cite this Entry
“Moribund.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/moribund. Accessed 1 Oct. 2024.
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Last Updated: 20 Sep 2024 - Updated example sentences
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