1 B1 idiomatic informal
Of a device or machine: to stop working at a bad moment, leaving someone without it.
"My phone died on me right in the middle of getting directions."
die on
B2 informal transitive
To stop working or functioning, leaving someone in a difficult situation; or to die while in the company of someone.
In plain English
When something stops working right when you need it, or someone dies while you are with them.
What does "die on" mean?
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 idiomatic informal
Of a person: to die while in the care or company of someone else.
"His father died on him when he was only twelve years old."
3 B2 idiomatic informal
Of a joke, a performance, or an idea: to fail completely in front of an audience.
"His opening joke totally died on him — not a single laugh."
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To die while directed at or belonging to someone.
Actually means
When something stops working right when you need it, or someone dies while you are with them.
Usage tip
The construction is always 'die on + person' (e.g., 'die on me'). The device or person doing the dying is the subject. Conveys the speaker's frustration or sense of personal inconvenience. Common in everyday spoken English.
Words that pair with "die on"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
phone battery car laptop engine me
How to conjugate "die on"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
die on
I/you/we/they
3rd person
dies on
he/she/it
Past simple
died on
yesterday
Past participle
died on
have + pp
-ing form
diing on
continuous
Hear "die on" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "die on" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
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