perishes

Perishes is the third-person singular form of perish, meaning to die or be destroyed, often in violent, untimely, or dramatic circumstances.

The word carries more weight than simply "dies"—it suggests tragedy, waste, or inevitability.

Thousands perished in the earthquake.

Things other than people can perish too: hopes perish, empires perish, perishable food perishes if not refrigerated.

The thought perish the thought is an exclamation dismissing an unwelcome idea.