expire
gb/ɪkspˈaɪɚ/ us/ɪkspˈaɪɚ/
B1
English
~ 5000
lejár, hatályát veszti, érvényét veszti, meghal, elhalálozik, elhuny, kilélegez, kifúj
VERB
B1
1
Usage pattern:
[document, contract, license] expires
My driver's license will expire next month.
A jogosítványom a jövő hónapban lejár.
The special discount expires at midnight.
A különleges kedvezmény éjfélkor lejár.
Her visa expired while she was abroad.
Learner examples
My passport will expire next year.
Az útlevelem jövőre lejár.
The ticket will expire tomorrow.
A jegy holnap lejár.
This card will expire soon.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'expire' with 'terminate'; 'terminate' can be active (someone ends it), while 'expire' is usually passive and time-based.
Meaning
Stop being valid or in effect
Collocations
passport expires
|contract expires
|license expires
|membership expires
|offer expires
Synonyms
lapse (Often used for rights or contracts ending without renewal)
Antonyms
renew (To make valid again for a new period)
Themes
law
|business
|daily life
|time
Definition
To stop being good, legal, or able to be used after a certain time.
To cease to be valid or legally effective after a specific time.
VERB
C1
2
Usage pattern:
[person] expires
The patient expired before the ambulance arrived.
A beteg még a mentő megérkezése előtt elhunyt.
He expired quietly in his sleep.
Csendesen hunyt el álmában.
Several soldiers expired during the battle.
Learner examples
The old man expired in the hospital.
Az idős férfi a kórházban hunyt el.
She expired after a long illness.
Hosszú betegség után hunyt el.
He expired on the way to the hospital.
Common mistake:
Learners may think this meaning is common in everyday English, but it is mostly used in formal, medical, or literary contexts.
Meaning
To die (formal/literary)
Collocations
expire peacefully
|expire suddenly
Synonyms
pass away (More common euphemism in everyday speech)
Antonyms
be born (Opposite in the life cycle)
Themes
life
|death
|health
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To die (formal word).
To die, especially in a formal or literary context.
VERB
C2
3
Usage pattern:
[someone] expires [air]
She closed her eyes and expired softly.
Becsukta a szemét, és finoman kilélegzett.
The diver expired a stream of bubbles.
A búvár buborékáramot fújt ki.
He expired deeply, trying to calm himself.
Learner examples
She expired after running fast.
Gyors futás után kifújta a levegőt.
He expired slowly and relaxed.
Lassan kilélegzett, és ellazult.
The man expired and smiled.
Common mistake:
This meaning is rare outside scientific, medical, or poetic contexts; learners may confuse it with 'expire' meaning 'to die'.
Meaning
Breathe out air from lungs
Collocations
expire slowly
|expire deeply
Synonyms
exhale (Neutral, everyday term for breathing out)
Antonyms
inhale (To breathe air into the lungs)
Themes
biology
|health
|body
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To breathe air out of your body.
To breathe out air from the lungs.
Grammar
Dictionary form
expire
IPA
GB/ɪkspˈaɪɚ/
US/ɪkspˈaɪɚ/
Syllables & stress
ex - pire (2 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (pire)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: expire
- 3rd Person Singular: expires
- Present Participle: expiring
- Past: expired
Word family
Forms
expires
verb
expiring
verb
expired
verb
Core family
expiration
noun B1
expiry
noun
Negative and opposite forms
unexpired
adjective
Advanced or less common
expiratory
adjective
Expressions
expire date
1/ɪkspˈaɪɚ dˈeɪt/
fixed phrase
Final day of validity or use
The last day you can use something before it is no good or not allowed.
Examples
- Check the expire date on the milk carton before you drink it.
- The medicine's expire date is printed on the box.
expire soon
1/ɪkspˈaɪɚ sˈun/
fixed phrase
Stop being valid soon
To stop being good or legal in a short time from now.
Examples
- My subscription will expire soon, so I need to renew it.
- This coupon will expire soon—use it today.