die of

IPA/dˈaɪ ɒv/
IPA/dˈaɪ ʌv/

die of — phrasal verb

  • die ofbase form
  • dies of3rd person singular
  • dying of-ing form
  • died ofpast simple

1. to stop living because a particular disease, injury, or other health problem aff

1.phrasal verbintransitiveA2
Definition

to stop living because a particular disease, injury, or other health problem affects your body

Example

Abigail's grandfather died of a heart attack at the age of eighty-two.

die of [specific medical cause]

Every year, a few desert hikers die of heatstroke after their water runs out.

die of [environmental cause]

Common collocations
  • die of a heart attack
  • die of cancer
  • die of old age
  • die of starvation
  • die of thirst
  • die of boredom
  • die of laughter
  • die of shame
Synonyms
  • pass away from

    softer, more polite tone — often used in obituaries or when speaking to grieving relatives

  • succumb to

    more formal and literary — suggests a long struggle against the cause of death

Grammar Patterns

die of [illness / disease / injury / cause]

Common Mistakes

He died from a heart attack at the hospital.
He died of a heart attack at the hospital.
'die of' is the standard collocation for the direct medical cause; 'die from' is also accepted but less common in everyday speech.

Synonym discussion

Sense: phrasal verb/1

'die of' is the neutral, everyday way to name the cause of death — used in medical reports, news, and casual conversation alike. 'pass away from' is gentler, often used in formal condolences or obituaries to soften the finality of death. 'succumb to' carries a literary or journalistic tone, implying the person fought against the cause (e.g. 'succumbed to his injuries'). 'be killed by' is reserved for external, violent, or accidental causes (car crash, gunshot, poison) — never for natural illness or old age. For example: 'She died of pneumonia at 94' (neutral); 'He passed away from complications after surgery' (respectful, formal); 'The soldier succumbed to his battlefield wounds' (dramatic, literary).

die of ↗pass away fromsuccumb tobe killed by