at death's door

Idioms and Phrases

On the point of dying, very ill, as in Whenever she had a bad cold she acted as though she were at death's door . The association of death with an entry way was first made in English in the late 1300s, and the phrase itself dates from the mid-1500s. Today it is often used as an exaggeration of ill health.

Example Sentences

“I was lucky. I lived,” said Amanda Zurawski, whose doctors in Texas waited until she was at death’s door and miscarrying at 18 weeks before they would perform an abortion.

From Los Angeles Times

He added that an Israeli invasion of the city would "leave an already fragile humanitarian operation at death's door".

From BBC

The movies have ostensibly been at death’s door at least since the shift to sync sound, which isn’t to undersell the industry’s business woes.

From New York Times

The movies have ostensibly been at death’s door at least since the shift to sync sound, which isn’t to undersell the industry’s business woes.

From New York Times

“Pregnant people should not have to fear that they will be denied life-saving treatment from Oklahoma hospitals, nor should they be forced to wait until they are at death’s door before health care providers intervene,” the complaint said.

From Washington Times

Related Words

• decaying
• doomed
• fading
• moribund