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A1 noun #2,627 le plus courant 13 min de lecture

expire

At the A1 level, learners encounter the word 'expire' primarily in the context of everyday survival, specifically regarding food and shopping. The concept is introduced as a simple fact of life: things do not last forever. Beginners learn to look for dates on milk, bread, and other groceries. The focus is on understanding that 'expire' means the food might no longer be good to eat. Teachers often use realia, bringing in empty food cartons to show the 'expiration date' printed on the packaging. At this stage, the grammar is kept very simple, usually focusing on the present simple or simple future tense. Sentences like 'The milk expires today' or 'The bread will expire tomorrow' are standard. Learners are taught to associate the word with safety and waste. If something expires, you throw it away. They also learn to use it with basic time expressions, such as days of the week or simple time markers like 'soon' or 'next week'. The vocabulary surrounding 'expire' at this level includes words like 'food', 'milk', 'date', 'good', 'bad', and 'throw away'. Role-playing exercises might involve a simulated trip to the supermarket where the learner has to check the dates on various items and decide whether to buy them based on when they expire. This practical application ensures that the word is grounded in a highly relevant, real-world context that a beginner can easily grasp and immediately use in their daily life.
As learners progress to the A2 level, the use of 'expire' expands beyond the kitchen and into the realms of travel, shopping, and basic services. While food remains a common context, learners now start talking about documents and offers. They learn that passports, ID cards, and visas have validity periods that eventually end. This is crucial for A2 learners who might be traveling or studying abroad. Sentences become slightly more complex, incorporating modal verbs and conditional structures. For example, 'You must renew your passport before it expires' or 'If the coupon expires, you cannot use it.' The vocabulary network expands to include words like 'passport', 'ticket', 'coupon', 'discount', 'renew', and 'valid'. Learners practice reading short texts, such as promotional emails or travel advisories, where they must identify when an offer or a document will expire. They also begin to distinguish between the verb 'expire' and the noun 'expiration date' (or 'expiry date' in British English). Exercises might involve filling out simple forms or matching documents with their corresponding expiration dates. The focus is on understanding the consequences of something expiring—losing a discount, being unable to travel, or needing to pay for a renewal. This broader application helps learners navigate a wider variety of everyday situations with greater confidence and accuracy.
At the B1 level, the concept of 'expire' is applied to more abstract and sustained commitments, such as subscriptions, memberships, and warranties. Learners are expected to handle situations where an expiration requires a specific administrative action, usually renewal or cancellation. The grammatical structures used with 'expire' become more sophisticated, frequently employing the present perfect tense to describe a state that has recently changed. For instance, 'I cannot log in because my subscription has expired.' Learners also practice using 'expire' in passive constructions, although they are reminded that the verb itself is intransitive. The vocabulary associated with the word grows to include terms like 'subscription', 'membership', 'warranty', 'license', 'guarantee', and 'account'. Reading comprehension exercises might involve terms and conditions, user agreements, or customer service emails notifying the user of an upcoming expiration. Speaking practice often involves role-playing customer service scenarios, where a learner must explain that their warranty has expired or ask how to renew an expired membership. At this intermediate stage, learners also start to recognize synonyms and related phrases, such as 'run out' or 'lapse', and begin to understand the subtle differences in their usage. The ability to discuss expirations in the context of services and contracts is a key marker of B1 proficiency, demonstrating an ability to manage personal affairs in an English-speaking environment.
Upon reaching the B2 level, learners are expected to use 'expire' with a high degree of accuracy and nuance, particularly in professional, academic, and formal legal contexts. The word is no longer just about milk or gym memberships; it is about contracts, patents, leases, and official deadlines. Learners must understand the legal and financial implications of an expiration. Grammatically, they use 'expire' seamlessly within complex sentences, utilizing advanced tense structures like the future perfect: 'By the time we finish the project, the original contract will have expired.' The vocabulary becomes highly specialized, incorporating terms such as 'lease agreement', 'patent', 'copyright', 'statute of limitations', 'binding', and 'void'. Learners are exposed to authentic texts, such as legal documents, business news articles, and formal reports, where 'expire' is used to indicate the cessation of legal rights or obligations. They must be able to write formal emails or letters discussing the expiration of terms and negotiating renewals. Furthermore, B2 learners are expected to fully grasp the distinction between 'expire' and related verbs like 'terminate', 'invalidate', or 'cease', understanding that 'expire' implies a natural, predetermined end rather than an active cancellation. Mastery at this level means being able to navigate the administrative and legal landscapes of the English-speaking professional world without confusion regarding time limits and validity.
At the C1 level, learners encounter 'expire' in highly abstract, idiomatic, and nuanced contexts. While they are fully capable of using it for documents and contracts, they now explore its metaphorical applications. For example, an opportunity, a period of grace, or even a person's patience can be said to 'expire'. The focus is on the sophisticated manipulation of language to convey precise meanings. Grammatically, learners use 'expire' in complex conditional clauses and rhetorical structures. They might encounter phrases like, 'Should the deadline expire without a resolution, the consequences will be severe.' The vocabulary involves high-level academic and professional jargon. Learners read complex literary texts, political analyses, and advanced legal treatises where the concept of expiration is tied to broader themes of time, finality, and transition. They are also expected to understand the historical or less common usages of the word, such as its application to a person's term in office ('His term as chairman expires next year'). At this advanced stage, learners can debate the implications of expiring patents on global health or the economic impact of expiring tax cuts. They possess the linguistic agility to use 'expire' not just as a factual statement of time running out, but as a rhetorical device to emphasize urgency, finality, or the inevitable passage of time in complex, high-stakes discussions.
At the C2 level, learners possess a near-native mastery of the word 'expire', understanding its deepest etymological roots and its most obscure or literary applications. They know that 'expire' originates from the Latin 'exspirare', meaning 'to breathe out', and they recognize how this root connects to its formal and archaic meaning: to die. While they know not to use 'expire' to mean 'die' in casual conversation, they fully comprehend it when reading classic literature, historical documents, or highly formal medical reports ('The monarch expired peacefully in his sleep'). C2 learners can effortlessly navigate the subtle semantic boundaries between 'expire', 'lapse', 'terminate', 'cease', and 'perish', choosing the exact word required for the most precise stylistic effect. They can use the word in highly specialized fields, such as constitutional law, where the expiration of a specific clause might alter the interpretation of a statute. Their use of the word is characterized by perfect grammatical accuracy, appropriate register, and a deep understanding of cultural and historical context. They can write sophisticated essays or deliver compelling presentations where the concept of expiration is used as a central metaphor for the transience of human endeavors, political systems, or cultural phenomena. At this pinnacle of language proficiency, 'expire' is a fully integrated tool in their extensive linguistic repertoire.
Entraîne-toi Exemples Notes et astuces

expire en 30 secondes

  • To come to an end.
  • To stop being valid.
  • To pass a specific date.
  • To no longer be usable.
The word 'expire' is a fundamental vocabulary item that learners encounter early in their language journey, primarily because it relates to everyday survival and consumer activities. When we talk about something expiring, we are fundamentally discussing the concept of time limits and validity. In the modern world, almost everything we consume or use has a built-in time limit. This applies most urgently to perishable goods, such as food and medicine.
Biological Expiration
This refers to the natural decay of organic matter, such as food spoiling after a certain date.
If you purchase a carton of milk, it will have a date stamped on it. This date indicates when the milk will expire. Consuming food after it has expired can lead to health issues, making this word crucial for daily life.

The milk will expire tomorrow, so we should drink it today.

Beyond food, the concept extends to legal and official documents. A passport, for instance, is not valid forever. It is issued for a specific period, usually five or ten years, after which it will expire.
Legal Expiration
This denotes the end of a document's legal validity, requiring renewal to maintain status.
If your passport expires while you are traveling, you may face significant legal and logistical challenges. Therefore, understanding when your documents expire is a critical life skill.

My visa is going to expire next month.

Furthermore, in the realm of commerce, offers, coupons, and sales also expire. Retailers use the threat of expiration to create a sense of urgency, encouraging consumers to make purchases quickly. When a discount code expires, it can no longer be used to reduce the price of an item. This commercial application of the word is ubiquitous in advertising and online shopping.

The discount code will expire at midnight.

In the digital age, software licenses and digital subscriptions also expire. If you do not renew your subscription to a streaming service, your access will expire, and you will no longer be able to watch your favorite shows.
Digital Expiration
The termination of access to digital services or software due to the end of a subscription period.
The word is also used in a more abstract sense, referring to the end of a period of time. For example, a deadline can expire, meaning the time allowed for a task has run out.

The deadline for the project will expire on Friday.

In literary or highly formal contexts, 'expire' can even mean to die or to breathe one's last breath, though this usage is rare in everyday conversation. Understanding the multifaceted nature of 'expire' requires recognizing its application across biological, legal, commercial, and digital domains. It is a word that signifies an ending, a transition from valid to invalid, from safe to unsafe, or from active to inactive. Mastery of this word involves not only knowing its definition but also understanding the specific prepositions and grammatical structures it commonly pairs with, such as 'expire on' a specific date or 'expire in' a certain number of days.

His contract will expire at the end of the year.

By exploring these various contexts, learners can develop a robust and nuanced understanding of how to use 'expire' effectively in both spoken and written English. The importance of this word cannot be overstated, as it navigates the boundaries of safety, legality, and access in our daily lives.
Using the word 'expire' correctly involves understanding its grammatical properties and the specific contexts in which it is appropriate. First and foremost, 'expire' is an intransitive verb. This means it does not take a direct object. An item expires on its own; a person does not expire an item.
Intransitive Verb
A verb that does not require a direct object to complete its meaning.
For example, it is correct to say, 'The passport will expire,' but it is incorrect to say, 'The government will expire the passport.' Instead, the government might 'revoke' or 'cancel' the passport.

The warranty on my car will expire after three years.

When discussing the timing of an expiration, specific prepositions are used. If you are referring to a specific date or day, use the preposition 'on'.
Preposition 'On'
Used with specific dates or days of the week.
For instance, 'The contract will expire on December 31st.' If you are referring to a duration of time leading up to the expiration, use the preposition 'in'.

My driver's license will expire in two weeks.

If you are referring to a specific time of day, use the preposition 'at'. For example, 'The offer will expire at midnight.' The verb 'expire' is often used in the future tense, as people typically discuss expirations as upcoming events that require action, such as renewing a document or consuming food.

If you don't renew it, your membership will expire.

However, it is also frequently used in the present perfect tense to indicate that the validity period has already ended and the item is currently invalid. For example, 'I cannot travel because my passport has expired.'
Present Perfect Tense
Used to describe an action that happened in the past but has relevance to the present situation.
In the simple past tense, it describes an event that occurred at a specific time in the past: 'The coupon expired yesterday.'

She realized too late that the deadline had already expired.

It is also important to note the noun forms related to 'expire'. The most common noun form is 'expiration', which refers to the act of expiring or the date on which something expires. In British English, 'expiry' is more commonly used. You will frequently see phrases like 'expiration date' or 'expiry date' printed on packaging and documents.

Please check the date to see when the medicine will expire.

When using 'expire' in professional or formal contexts, it maintains its core meaning but is applied to more complex agreements, such as leases, patents, and treaties. In these contexts, the expiration of an agreement often triggers a renegotiation or a cessation of services. Understanding these grammatical nuances and common collocations will significantly improve your ability to use 'expire' accurately and confidently in a wide range of situations, from casual conversations about groceries to formal discussions about legal contracts.
The word 'expire' is ubiquitous in everyday life, appearing in numerous contexts where time limits and validity are crucial. One of the most common places you will encounter this word is in the supermarket or grocery store. Almost every packaged food item, dairy product, and medication has a date indicating when it will no longer be safe or optimal to consume.
Grocery Stores
A primary location where the concept of expiration is vital for health and safety.
Shoppers frequently check these dates, and you might hear someone say, 'Don't buy that yogurt; it's going to expire tomorrow.'

The bread will expire soon, so we need to eat it quickly.

Another highly common context is travel and immigration. Passports, visas, and identification cards all have specific validity periods.
Travel and Immigration
Contexts where expired documents can lead to denied entry or legal issues.
When planning a trip, travelers must ensure their documents will not expire while they are abroad. At the airport, an immigration officer might inform a traveler, 'Your visa will expire in three days.'

You cannot board the flight if your passport has expired.

In the realm of personal finance and commerce, 'expire' is frequently used in relation to credit cards, coupons, and promotional offers. Credit cards have an expiration date printed on the front, and banks will issue a new card before the old one expires. Retailers use the word to create urgency in marketing campaigns, sending emails that warn, 'This special offer will expire at midnight!'

Use the coupon before it expires to get a twenty percent discount.

The digital world is another major domain for this word. Software licenses, domain names, and subscriptions to streaming services or online platforms all have expiration dates.
Digital Services
Online platforms that require periodic renewal to maintain access.
Users receive automated notifications stating, 'Your subscription will expire in seven days. Please update your payment information.'

My antivirus software license will expire next week.

In professional and legal environments, 'expire' is used to discuss contracts, leases, warranties, and patents. A tenant might discuss renewing their lease before it expires, or a business might track when a competitor's patent will expire, allowing them to use the technology. Finally, in medical and emergency contexts, though less common in everyday speech, 'expire' can be used as a formal or euphemistic term for dying. A medical professional might note the time a patient expired.

The patient tragically expired during the surgical procedure.

Across all these diverse settings, the core meaning remains the same: a designated period of time has come to an end, resulting in a loss of validity, access, or life. Recognizing the word 'expire' in these various environments is essential for navigating modern society, ensuring legal compliance, maintaining access to services, and protecting one's health.
When learning the word 'expire', students often make several common grammatical and conceptual mistakes. The most frequent error is treating 'expire' as a transitive verb.
Transitive vs. Intransitive
A transitive verb takes an object, while an intransitive verb does not. 'Expire' is strictly intransitive.
Learners might say, 'The government expired my passport' or 'The store expired the coupon.' This is incorrect because 'expire' cannot be done *to* something by an external agent in modern English usage. Instead, the item itself performs the action of expiring. The correct phrasing would be, 'My passport expired' or 'The government canceled my passport.'

Incorrect: He expired the contract. Correct: The contract expired.

Another common mistake involves the misuse of prepositions when discussing the time of expiration. Learners often confuse 'in', 'on', and 'at'.
Preposition Confusion
Using the wrong preposition can make a sentence sound unnatural or change its meaning.
For example, saying 'The milk will expire in Friday' is incorrect; it should be 'on Friday' because Friday is a specific day. Conversely, saying 'The visa will expire on two weeks' is wrong; it should be 'in two weeks' because it refers to a duration of time.

The offer will expire at midnight tonight.

Students also frequently confuse 'expire' with 'spoil' or 'go bad' when talking about food. While food that has expired often spoils, the words are not perfectly synonymous. Food can spoil before it expires if it is not stored properly, and some food might still be safe to eat shortly after it expires. Saying 'The milk expired because I left it out of the fridge' is conceptually inaccurate; the milk *spoiled*. The expiration date remains the same regardless of how the milk is stored.

Even though it hasn't expired yet, the meat smells like it has spoiled.

Additionally, learners sometimes struggle with the noun forms 'expiration' and 'expiry'. While both are correct, they are used differently depending on the region.
Regional Differences
American English prefers 'expiration', while British English prefers 'expiry'.
Using 'expiry date' in the US might sound slightly formal or foreign, while using 'expiration date' in the UK might mark you as an American English speaker.

Please check the expire date. (Incorrect - should be expiration/expiry date)

Finally, learners sometimes use 'expire' when they mean 'finish' or 'end' in contexts where 'expire' is inappropriate. For example, saying 'The movie expired at 10 PM' is incorrect. Movies, classes, and meetings 'finish' or 'end'; they do not 'expire'. 'Expire' is reserved for things that have a predetermined validity period, such as documents, contracts, and perishable goods. By avoiding these common pitfalls—respecting its intransitive nature, using correct prepositions, distinguishing it from physical spoilage, noting regional noun preferences, and applying it to the correct types of nouns—learners can master the use of 'expire' and communicate more accurately.
Understanding the synonyms and related terms for 'expire' can greatly enhance a learner's vocabulary and allow for more precise communication. While 'expire' is the most common and versatile word for a validity period ending, several other words can be used depending on the specific context.
Run Out
A phrasal verb that is often used informally as a synonym for expire.
'Run out' is frequently used in spoken English when referring to time, contracts, or subscriptions. For example, instead of saying 'My subscription will expire soon,' a native speaker might say, 'My subscription is going to run out soon.'

We need to renew the lease before time runs out and the contract expires.

Another related word is 'lapse'. 'Lapse' is typically used in more formal or legal contexts, particularly regarding insurance policies or memberships.
Lapse
To become invalid because it is not used or renewed.
If you do not pay your insurance premium, your policy will lapse. While similar to expire, 'lapse' often implies a failure to renew or maintain something, whereas 'expire' simply states that the predetermined time has ended.

He allowed his gym membership to lapse after it expired.

In the context of food, 'spoil' and 'go bad' are closely related concepts, though as noted earlier, they refer to the physical degradation of the food rather than the passing of a printed date. 'Terminate' is another formal synonym, often used in legal and business contexts. However, 'terminate' usually implies an active decision to end something prematurely, whereas 'expire' implies a natural end to a predetermined period. For example, a company might terminate an employee's contract before it is set to expire.

The agreement will naturally expire next year, unless we choose to terminate it early.

'Invalidate' is a related verb, meaning to make something no longer legally acceptable. If a passport expires, it becomes invalid.
Invalidate
To officially stop a document or agreement from being legally acceptable.
The expiration is the event that causes the invalidation.

The coupon was invalidated because it had already expired.

Finally, in the rare and formal context where 'expire' means to die, synonyms include 'pass away', 'perish', or 'decease'. By understanding these nuances, learners can choose the most appropriate word for their specific situation. 'Run out' is excellent for casual conversation, 'lapse' is perfect for insurance and memberships, 'terminate' implies an active ending, and 'spoil' describes physical decay. However, 'expire' remains the most accurate and universally understood term for the natural end of a period of validity for documents, offers, and perishable goods.

Make sure to use the ticket before it expires and becomes useless.

Mastering this network of related vocabulary will significantly enhance a learner's fluency and precision in English.

How Formal Is It?

Niveau de difficulté

Grammaire à connaître

Exemples par niveau

1

The milk will expire tomorrow.

The milk will go bad tomorrow.

Simple future tense with 'will'.

2

Does this bread expire soon?

Will this bread be bad soon?

Present simple question.

3

The food expired yesterday.

The food went bad yesterday.

Simple past tense.

4

When does the coupon expire?

When is the coupon no longer good?

Question word 'when' with present simple.

5

My card expires in May.

My card is not good after May.

Present simple for scheduled future event.

6

Do not eat it; it expired.

Do not eat it; it is bad.

Imperative followed by simple past.

7

The ticket expires today.

The ticket is only good for today.

Present simple.

8

It will expire next week.

It will be bad next week.

Future tense with time expression.

1

You need to renew your passport before it expires.

Get a new passport before the old one is invalid.

Adverbial time clause with 'before'.

2

The sale will expire at the end of the month.

The discount ends when the month ends.

Prepositional phrase 'at the end of'.

3

I can't use this visa because it has expired.

This visa is no longer valid for travel.

Present perfect tense indicating a current state.

4

If the code expires, you won't get the discount.

An invalid code means no lower price.

First conditional sentence.

5

My driver's license is going to expire next year.

My license will not be valid next year.

'Going to' for a future fact.

6

Check the date to see when the medicine expires.

Look at the bottle to find the end date.

Noun clause starting with 'when'.

7

The offer expired, so I had to pay full price.

The deal ended, so it cost more.

Compound sentence with 'so'.

8

We must eat the yogurt before it expires.

Eat the yogurt before it goes bad.

Modal verb 'must' for obligation.

1

My gym membership has expired, so I need to renew it.

My access to the gym ended, requiring renewal.

Present perfect followed by a consequence.

2

The warranty on my laptop will expire in two months.

The guarantee for free repairs ends in two months.

Preposition 'in' for a duration of time.

3

She realized her subscription had expired when she couldn't log in.

She knew the account was inactive upon failing to access it.

Past perfect tense for an action completed before another past action.

4

Unless you update your payment details, the account will expire.

If no payment is made, the account will close.

Conditional clause using 'unless'.

5

The contract is due to expire at the end of the financial year.

The agreement is scheduled to end soon.

Phrase 'due to' indicating a scheduled event.

6

I forgot that the parking ticket was going to expire at noon.

I didn't remember the parking time ended at 12 PM.

Noun clause functioning as the object of 'forgot'.

7

Once the trial period expires, you will be charged automatically.

After the free time ends, you must pay.

Time clause with 'once'.

8

They sent a reminder that my domain name is about to expire.

I received a notice that my website address needs renewal.

Phrase 'about to' for immediate future.

1

The lease agreement is set to expire, prompting negotiations for a renewal.

The rental contract is ending, starting new talks.

Participle clause 'prompting negotiations'.

2

By the time the patent expires, the technology will likely be obsolete.

When the legal protection ends, the tech will be old.

Future perfect concept implied by 'will likely be'.

3

Should your license expire while abroad, you must contact the embassy immediately.

If your license becomes invalid overseas, call the embassy.

Inversion in conditional clause 'Should your license expire'.

4

The statute of limitations had expired, meaning he could no longer be prosecuted.

The legal time limit ended, preventing a trial.

Past perfect with a participle clause explaining the result.

5

We are currently operating under an extension, as the original contract has expired.

We have extra time because the first agreement ended.

Subordinate clause introduced by 'as' for reason.

6

The pharmaceutical company faces a significant loss of revenue when its key drug patent expires.

The company will lose money when the medicine's protection ends.

Complex sentence with a time clause.

7

It is imperative that the safety certificates do not expire during the construction phase.

It is crucial that the safety documents remain valid while building.

Subjunctive mood following 'It is imperative that'.

8

Having allowed his insurance to expire, he was fully liable for the damages.

Because his insurance ended, he had to pay for everything.

Perfect participle clause 'Having allowed'.

1

The grace period having expired, the bank initiated foreclosure proceedings on the property.

After the extra time ended, the bank started taking the house.

Nominative absolute construction.

2

He clung to the hope that the offer remained valid, even though the deadline had long since expired.

He hoped the deal was good, despite the time limit passing long ago.

Adverbial phrase 'long since' modifying the past perfect.

3

The treaty is slated to expire next decade, raising concerns about future geopolitical stability.

The agreement will end in ten years, causing worry about peace.

Participle clause expressing consequence.

4

Opportunities of this magnitude rarely present themselves, and this one will expire imminently.

Big chances are rare, and this one is ending very soon.

Adverb 'imminently' to express immediate future.

5

The chairman's term of office expires at the culmination of the annual general meeting.

The leader's time in charge ends at the close of the yearly meeting.

Formal vocabulary 'term of office' and 'culmination'.

6

Unless a unanimous resolution is reached, the temporary ceasefire will expire at dawn.

If everyone doesn't agree, the pause in fighting ends in the morning.

Passive voice in the conditional clause.

7

The legislation was drafted with a sunset clause, ensuring it would expire automatically after five years.

The law was written to end by itself after five years.

Legal terminology 'sunset clause'.

8

Her patience finally expired after enduring hours of bureaucratic obfuscation.

She lost her temper after dealing with confusing rules for hours.

Metaphorical use of 'expire' for an abstract noun (patience).

1

In older literary texts, one might encounter the word used to describe a soul expiring from the mortal coil.

In old books, the word means a soul leaving the body (dying).

Discussion of archaic/literary usage.

2

The non-disclosure agreement was structured such that its confidentiality provisions would never expire, binding the signatories in perpetuity.

The secret contract was made so the rules never end, keeping them bound forever.

Complex legal phrasing 'in perpetuity'.

3

As the final seconds of the match expired, the stadium erupted in a cacophony of jubilation.

When the game's last seconds ended, the crowd cheered loudly.

Metaphorical use applied to time itself running out.

4

The dictator's regime effectively expired the moment the military withdrew its unwavering support.

The ruler's power ended exactly when the army stopped helping.

Metaphorical application to a political entity.

5

He watched the embers of the fire slowly expire, mirroring the fading hope in his heart.

He saw the fire die out, just like his hope was dying.

Poetic and metaphorical usage.

6

The intellectual property rights having expired, the formula entered the public domain, precipitating a flood of generic alternatives.

Because the rights ended, anyone could use the recipe, causing many cheap copies.

Nominative absolute followed by complex vocabulary.

7

It is a fallacy to assume that an expired mandate absolves the administration of its historical culpability.

It's wrong to think an ended term clears the government of past guilt.

Highly formal academic register.

8

The patient expired peacefully in the palliative care ward, surrounded by his immediate kin.

The sick person died quietly in the hospital with his family.

Euphemistic/medical use meaning 'to die'.

Synonymes

end finish run out terminate lapse

Collocations courantes

expire on
expire in
expire at
about to expire
due to expire
set to expire
soon expire
naturally expire
automatically expire
already expired

Phrases Courantes

before it expires

until it expires

when it expires

after it expires

is going to expire

has already expired

will soon expire

let it expire

allow to expire

about to expire

Souvent confondu avec

expire vs Spoil (Spoil means physical decay; expire means the date has passed.)

expire vs Terminate (Terminate is an active cancellation; expire is a natural end.)

expire vs Retire (People retire from work; documents expire.)

Expressions idiomatiques

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Facile à confondre

expire vs

expire vs

expire vs

expire vs

expire vs

Structures de phrases

Comment l'utiliser

noun forms

The prompt asked for 'expire' (noun), but 'expire' is a verb. The noun forms are 'expiration' or 'expiry'.

medical use

Avoid using 'expire' to mean 'die' in everyday speech; it sounds very strange and overly clinical.

intransitive warning

Always remember that 'expire' is an action the object does to itself. You cannot 'expire' a document.

Erreurs courantes
  • Using 'expire' as a transitive verb (e.g., 'The police expired my license').
  • Confusing 'expire' with 'spoil' regarding physical food condition.
  • Using the wrong preposition (e.g., 'expire in Friday' instead of 'on Friday').
  • Using 'expire' for events (e.g., 'The concert expired at 11 PM').
  • Using 'expire' to mean 'die' in casual conversation.

Astuces

No Direct Object

Never put an object after the verb 'expire'. The subject does the expiring itself. Say 'The visa expired', not 'They expired the visa'. This is a very common mistake for beginners.

In vs. On

Pay close attention to time prepositions. Use 'expire on' for a specific calendar date. Use 'expire in' when counting down days or months. For example: 'on Monday' vs 'in three days'.

Food Context

When talking about food, remember that 'expire' refers to the printed date. If the food smells bad, use the word 'spoil' or 'go bad'. Don't say 'the milk expired' if it's just warm and smelly but the date is next week.

Noun Forms

If you are writing for an American audience, use 'expiration date'. If you are writing for a British audience, use 'expiry date'. Knowing this difference makes your English sound more natural.

Not for Events

Do not use 'expire' for events like movies, parties, or classes. These things 'end' or 'finish'. Save 'expire' for documents, food, and contracts.

Present Perfect

Use the present perfect ('has expired') to explain a current problem. For example, 'I can't travel because my passport has expired.' This shows the past event affects the present.

Run Out

In casual conversation, try using the phrasal verb 'run out' instead of 'expire'. Saying 'My gym membership ran out' sounds very natural and native-like.

Contracts

In business English, 'expire' is a crucial word. Always track when agreements or leases expire. You can also use formal phrases like 'due to expire' or 'set to expire'.

About to Expire

Learn the phrase 'about to expire'. It means something will expire very soon. 'Drink that milk, it's about to expire!' is a great, natural-sounding sentence.

Strict Deadlines

In English-speaking countries, expiration dates on legal documents are strictly enforced. If a visa expires, there is usually no 'grace period'. Take the word seriously in official contexts.

Mémorise-le

Origine du mot

Latin

Contexte culturel

US uses 'expiration date'; UK uses 'expiry date'.

Cultural debates exist around throwing away food exactly when it expires versus using common sense.

In Western cultures, an expired legal document (like a visa) is treated with zero tolerance.

Pratique dans la vie réelle

Contextes réels

Amorces de conversation

"Have you ever eaten something after it expired?"

"What do you do when your passport is about to expire?"

"Do you think food expiration dates are too strict?"

"Have you ever lost money because a coupon expired?"

"How do you remember to renew subscriptions before they expire?"

Sujets d'écriture

Write about a time you forgot to renew something before it expired.

Explain the difference between food expiring and food spoiling.

Describe the process of renewing a passport that has expired.

Discuss why you think expiration dates are important for society.

Write a short story about a magical ticket that never expires.

Questions fréquentes

10 questions

In modern, everyday English, you should not use 'expire' to refer to a person dying. It sounds very clinical, cold, or archaic. Medical professionals or historical texts might use it, such as 'the patient expired'. However, in normal conversation, use 'passed away' or 'died'. Using 'expire' for a person can seem disrespectful or strange.

These words are related but distinct. 'Expire' refers to the official date printed on a package passing. 'Spoil' refers to the physical food actually going bad, rotting, or becoming unsafe to eat. Food can spoil before it expires if left out of the fridge. Conversely, some food might still be safe to eat shortly after it expires.

'Expire' is strictly an intransitive verb. This means it cannot take a direct object. You cannot perform the action of expiring upon something else. For example, you cannot say 'I expired the contract'. You must say 'The contract expired'.

Both are correct, but their usage depends on the region. In American English, 'expiration date' is the standard term. In British English and many Commonwealth countries, 'expiry date' is preferred. If you are taking a specific regional English test, use the appropriate term, but both are widely understood globally.

The preposition depends on the time expression that follows. Use 'on' for specific dates (e.g., expire on Friday, expire on May 12th). Use 'in' for a duration of time leading up to the event (e.g., expire in two weeks, expire in a few days). Use 'at' for specific clock times (e.g., expire at midnight).

No, it is incorrect to say a movie, a meeting, or a class expires. These events 'finish' or 'end'. The word 'expire' is reserved for things that have a predetermined period of validity, such as documents, contracts, subscriptions, and perishable goods. It implies a loss of validity, not just the conclusion of an event.

While similar, 'lapse' and 'expire' have slightly different nuances. 'Expire' simply means the predetermined time period has ended. 'Lapse' often implies that something ended because someone failed to renew it or pay for it, such as an insurance policy. A lapse is often seen as a failure to maintain a status.

It is very common to use 'expire' in the future tense because we often talk about upcoming deadlines. You can use 'will expire' for a stated fact (e.g., The milk will expire tomorrow). You can also use the present simple for scheduled events (e.g., My visa expires next month).

Yes, you can say 'time expired' or 'the time has expired'. This is common in sports, exams, or any situation where a specific countdown or allotted time has reached zero. It means there is no more time left to complete the task or play the game.

Because 'expire' means to end or become invalid, the opposite action is usually 'renew' or 'extend'. If a passport is going to expire, you renew it to make it valid again. If a contract is expiring, you might extend it to continue the agreement.

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