deceased 1 of 3

adjective

di-ˈsēst How to pronounce deceased (audio)
Definition of deceasednext
as in dead
no longer living the recently deceased tenant was found by a concerned neighbor

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

deceased

2 of 3

noun

as in decedent

Synonyms & Similar Words

deceased

3 of 3

verb

past tense of decease
as in died
to stop living no one knows what happened to the family fortune after the spinster deceased

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective deceased contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of deceased are dead, defunct, departed, and late. While all these words mean "devoid of life," deceased, departed, and late apply to persons who have died recently. deceased is the preferred term in legal use.

the estate of the deceased

Where would dead be a reasonable alternative to deceased?

While in some cases nearly identical to deceased, dead applies literally to what is deprived of vital force but is used figuratively of anything that has lost any attribute (such as energy, activity, radiance) suggesting life.

a dead, listless performance

When is defunct a more appropriate choice than deceased?

The meanings of defunct and deceased largely overlap; however, defunct stresses cessation of active existence or operation.

a defunct television series

When could departed be used to replace deceased?

The words departed and deceased can be used in similar contexts, but departed is used usually as a euphemism.

our departed sister

When is it sensible to use late instead of deceased?

Although the words late and deceased have much in common, late is used especially with reference to a person in a specific relation or status.

the company's late president

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of deceased
Adjective
Further, when the subject is deceased, more than one family member or party may be involved and conflicts may arise on the individual’s depiction. — Legal Entertainment, Forbes, 13 Mar. 2025 In addition to the living animals, police found three deceased dogs, according to the statement. — Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 13 Mar. 2025
Noun
GEDMatch is one of the databases used by the DNA Doe project, a non-profit that works to name the deceased who remain unidentified. — Crimesider Staff, CBS News, 27 Apr. 2018 See All Example Sentences for deceased
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deceased
  1. dead
  2. decedent
  3. died
  4. corpse
  5. perished
  6. late
  7. fell
  8. departed
Adjective
  • Miller, the 14-year-old son of former New York Yankees outfielder Brett Gardner, was found dead on Friday morning at a hotel in Manuel Antonio.
    — Ana Melgar Zuniga and Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 26 Mar. 2025
  • Palumbo, the only person in the Mustang, was found unresponsive and was pronounced dead at the scene.
    — Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 26 Mar. 2025
Definition of dead
Noun
  • Anyone who may know Ramos-Rivas’ relatives or can help get in contact with anyone with connections to the decedent is asked to contact the Lake County Coroner’s Office at 219-755-3265.
    — Post-Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 5 Mar. 2025
  • Due to the unusual circumstances of two decedents in the residence there was a concern for scene safety.
    — Dominic Patten, Deadline, 27 Feb. 2025
Definition of decedent
Verb
  • After a lifetime of making people laugh, Newhart died on July 18 at his home in Los Angeles.
    — Rick Kogan, Chicago Tribune, 24 Dec. 2024
  • Adams Earley died in 2002 at age 83 in Dayton.
    — Laura A. Bischoff, The Enquirer, 24 Dec. 2024
Definition of died
Noun
  • The preposterous plot begins with the band of brothers (and savvy sisters, too) in search of an unclaimed corpse, disguising it as a Royal Marine officer, and creating a fictional persona to make their ruse credible.
    — Frank Rizzo, Variety, 21 Mar. 2025
  • Oh, and a corpse has just been discovered upstairs.
    — Tom Gliatto, People.com, 20 Mar. 2025
Definition of corpse
Verb
  • Of the 181 people onboard, 179 perished.
    — Marisa Garcia, Forbes, 5 Jan. 2025
  • Most of the animals that perished were small birds, according to officials.
    — Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Jan. 2025
Definition of perished
Adjective
  • In court filings made late Monday in Baltimore, officials from 18 agencies confirmed that the workers were being reinstated, with most placed on administrative leave temporarily.
    — Hannah Parry, Newsweek, 19 Mar. 2025
  • Hayes was not good at all on a late power play when the Penguins trailed by one in the final minutes of the third period.
    — Josh Yohe, The Athletic, 19 Mar. 2025
Definition of late
Verb
  • One of the people who lost his job at NOAA in late February was working on models to better predict severe weather, like the storm that felled my tree.
    — Megha Satyanarayana, Scientific American, 7 Mar. 2025
  • The coalition will be under pressure to deliver results and avoid the infighting that has felled previous governments.
    — Reuters, NBC News, 28 Feb. 2025
Definition of fell
Adjective
  • But with Harden, Norman Powell and Ivica Zubac taking the majority of the shots instead of the departed Paul George and a rehabilitating Kawhi Leonard, the Clippers score 45.9 percent of their points in the paint (fifth in NBA).
    — Law Murray, The Athletic, 20 Feb. 2025
  • These spirits not only provide a thoughtful toast to the departed but also serve as a reminder of Mexico’s deep traditions and reverence for the past.
    — Rachel King, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2024
Definition of departed

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deceased
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Cite this Entry

“Deceased.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deceased. Accessed 31 Mar. 2025.

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