What does "demise" mean?
The conveyance or transfer of an estate, either in fee for life or for years, most commonly the latter.
Demise
/dɪˈmaɪz/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The conveyance or transfer of an estate, either in fee for life or for years, most commonly the latter.
- Grammar: demise is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: death, abalienation, alienate, alienation.
- Useful contrasts: birth, continuance, continuation.
- Usage evidence: He met his demise at the hands of a crowd of jealous husbands.
How to use "demise"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "demise" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "demise" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "demise" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "demise" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "demise" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "death" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
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Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "demise", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The conveyance or transfer of an estate, either in fee for life or for years, most commonly the latter. countable, uncountable
- 2 the time when something ends wordnet
- 3 Transmission by formal act or conveyance to an heir or successor; transference; especially, the transfer or transmission of the crown or royal authority to a successor. countable, uncountable
"Immediately upon the Royal Assent being signified to this Act the Instrument of Abdication […] shall have effect, and thereupon His Majesty shall cease to be King and there shall be a demise of the Crown, and accordingly the member of the Royal Family then next in succession to the Throne shall succeed thereto and to all the rights, privileges, and dignities thereunto belonging."
- 4 Death; decease. countable
"Earth looked her loveliest to receive my sweet sister's gentle dust; but all was harsh and sullen as her own nature when Lady Avonleigh's haughty ashes returned to their original element. Immediately after her demise, her son went abroad, and I accompanied him."
- 5 The end of something, in a negative sense; downfall. countable
"The lack of funding ultimately led to the project's demise."
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- 6 The atmospheric disintegration of a satellite or satellite component upon re-entering Earth's atmosphere. countable, uncountable
"Relocating components to places where they receive more heating effect earlier in the reentry and even triggering a partial break-up of the satellite structure during reentry to aid demise."
Verb
- 1 To give. obsolete, transitive
- 2 transfer by a lease or by a will wordnet
- 3 To convey, as by will or lease. transitive
- 4 To transmit by inheritance. transitive
- 5 To pass by inheritance. intransitive
Show 1 more definition
- 6 To die. intransitive
Example
"He met his demise at the hands of a crowd of jealous husbands."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "demise"?
Common synonyms include: death, abalienation, alienate, alienation, amortization, amortize.
How do you use "demise" in a sentence?
He met his demise at the hands of a crowd of jealous husbands.
How do you pronounce "demise"?
Pronounced /dɪˈmaɪz/.
Etymology
From Middle English demyse, dimise, dimisse, dymyse, from Middle French démise, the feminine singular past participle of démettre (“to put down, relinquish”); from Latin dēmissa, feminine singular of perfect passive participle of dēmittō. The "death" and "end" senses derive by way of euphemism from the legal sense, as a person's death was a common way that the legal demise could be accomplished. The verb is from Middle English dimisen, from the noun.