Word
expire
Meanings
to end or become no longer valid after a particular date or time
to breathe out air from the lungs
Definition
To expire means to end or become no longer valid after a set time.
To expire is to come to an end, especially when something is only valid for a limited period. We commonly use it for documents, contracts, subscriptions, or offers that stop being valid on a certain date. It can also describe the act of breathing out air.
Examples
- My passport will expire next spring, so I’m scheduling an appointment well in advance.
- Your access code may expire if you don’t activate it within twenty-four hours.
- His membership didn’t expire until July, but he cancelled it early to avoid renewing by mistake.
- Their promotional offer will expire at midnight, which is why they’re finalizing the order tonight.
Common mistake
Learners sometimes use "expire" for people (e.g., "My grandfather expired"), but in modern English it is usually used for validity periods, not as a neutral synonym for "die."
More at C1 level
- ubiquitous Present, appearing, or found everywhere at the same time.
- xenophobia Xenophobia is a strong dislike or fear of people from other countries or cultures.
- genocide Genocide is the deliberate killing of a large number of people from a particular group in order to …
- conundrum A conundrum is a confusing and difficult problem to solve.
- pretentious Trying to seem more important, intelligent, or cultured than you really are.
More verbs
- analyze To examine something carefully in order to understand it or explain it.
- scrutinize To scrutinize something is to examine it very carefully and in detail.
- affect To affect something is to influence it or cause it to change.
- allude To allude means to mention or suggest something indirectly without saying it clearly.
- elude To elude someone or something is to avoid being caught, understood, or remembered.