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

Examples 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
First responders determined the victim, identified as Ellie Claire Young, was deceased at the scene. —Taylor Ardrey, USA TODAY, 24 Oct. 2024 The birds also act as psychopomps: beings who guide the souls of the newly deceased to the afterlife. —Jared Del Rosso, The Conversation, 22 Oct. 2024
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
  • Payne was found dead just minutes after the call was made.
    Rebecca Cohen, NBC News, 7 Nov. 2024
  • The man was pronounced dead at the scene by medical personnel, police said.
    Caelyn Pender, The Mercury News, 6 Nov. 2024
Definition of dead
Noun
  • Federal Estate & Gift Tax The federal estate tax exclusion for decedents dying will increase to $13,990,000 per person (up from $13,610,000 in 2024) or $27,980,000 per married couple in 2025.
    Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes, 22 Oct. 2024
  • The foreign earned income exclusion will be $130,000, while estates of decedents who die in 2025 will have basic exclusion amount of $13.99 million.
    Kamaron McNair, CNBC, 22 Oct. 2024
Definition of decedent
Verb
  • That includes 91 who died in North Carolina, 36 in South Carolina, 25 in Georgia, 19 in Florida, 11 in Tennessee and two in Virginia, a USA TODAY Network analysis found.
    John Bacon, USA TODAY, 4 Oct. 2024
  • The highest number of women killed in a single year of conflict was more than 2,600 in Iraq in 2016, while an average of more than 4,700 children died in the Syria conflict, the new analysis said, citing previous reports.
    NBC News, NBC News, 4 Oct. 2024
Definition of died
Noun
  • Case closed, with what’s left of Sofia’s car and Sal Maroni’s whole corpse lying in the rubble for good measure.
    Andy Andersen, Vulture, 10 Nov. 2024
  • The sight of Till’s mutilated and decomposed corpse at his open-casket funeral galvanized the civil-rights movement.
    Paige Williams, The New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2024
Definition of corpse
Verb
  • Onboard the vessel were British prisoners-of-war and over 800 British troops perished during the incident.
    Sara Merican, Deadline, 30 Sep. 2024
  • Two American women and two Sherpa guides perished while racing for a record.
    Dario DiGiulio, Outside Online, 26 Sep. 2024
Definition of perished
Adjective
  • The Lakers’ already depleted frontcourt took another hit with their latest injury.
    Khobi Price, Orange County Register, 13 Nov. 2024
  • Adjustment Brushes One of Adobe's latest brushes is the Adjustment brush.
    PCMAG, PCMAG, 12 Nov. 2024
Definition of late
Verb
  • There, along the North Platte River in what is now Wyoming, the animal was felled by the arrow of a warrior named High Forehead, who may have been hungry.
    Tim Madigan, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Oct. 2024
  • The story claimed that two loggers felled a hollow tree and were shocked to find a body inside.
    Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 7 Oct. 2024
Definition of fell
Adjective
  • 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
  • Joining the core trio of Corgan, Iha and Chamberlin were bassist Jack Bates and guitarist Kiki Wong, who famously won the post from the departed Jeff Schroeder after a public casting call of more than 10,000.
    Melissa Ruggieri, USA TODAY, 30 July 2024
Definition of departed

Thesaurus Entries Near deceased

decease

deceased

deceases

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Deceased.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deceased. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

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More from Merriam-Webster on deceased

Nglish: Translation of deceased for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of deceased for Arabic Speakers

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