Phrase guide

die a thousand deaths

verb · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To die many times over (usually as preferred over some other undesirable action or occurrence).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Qualifier: rhetorical

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To suffer repeatedly (often mentally rather than physically); to suffer extreme embarrassment or anxiety.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

4 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Dutch: duizend doden sterven — suffer repeatedly
  • Finnish: kuolla häpeään — suffer repeatedly
  • German: tausend Tode sterben — suffer repeatedly
  • Polish: umrzeć tysiąc razy — suffer repeatedly