do-or-die

adjective

1
: doggedly determined to reach one's objective : indomitable
2
: presenting as the only alternatives complete success or complete ruin
a do-or-die situation

Examples of do-or-die in a Sentence

a do-or-die entrepreneur who never stopped believing that hard work would inevitably lead to success
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
With plenty of time between sets of games, and a disproportionate share of straight-knockout, ‘do-or-die’ matches, ambitious projects can be reduced to individual results, years of work washed away in a few minutes of action. Thom Harris, The Athletic, 15 Aug. 2024 Match 2 of quarterfinals: Frisco's Tammy Emmrich won both her ties to push the do-or-die match to a DreamBreaker, but Miami dominated 21-11 to win the quarter final. Todd Boss, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024 Miami is currently 2-5 on the season, and a loss on Sunday would drop them to 2-6, effectively placing them in a do-or-die situation with their playoff hopes. David Faris, Newsweek, 3 Nov. 2024 Two overly eager New York fans were ejected from the Yankees’ do-or-die win over the Dodgers on Wednesday after ripping a foul ball from the glove of Los Angeles’ outfielder Mookie Betts. Rohan Nadkarni, NBC News, 30 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for do-or-die 

Word History

First Known Use

1873, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of do-or-die was in 1873

Dictionary Entries Near do-or-die

Cite this Entry

“Do-or-die.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/do-or-die. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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