deceased

American

[dih-seest] / dɪˈsist /

adjective

no longer living; dead.

noun

the deceased,
1. the particular dead person or persons referred to.
2. dead persons collectively.
  
  to speak well of the deceased.

deceased British

/ dɪˈsiːst /

adjective

1. a more formal word for dead
2. ( as noun )
  
  the deceased

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Related Words

See dead.

Other Word Forms

undeceased adjective

Etymology

Origin of deceased

First recorded in 1480–90; decease + -ed ²

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

An A-B trust is another option: The “A” trust is revocable and holds the surviving spouse’s assets; the “B” trust is irrevocable and holds the deceased spouse’s assets.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 7, 2026

Artemis astronauts at the outer edge of human space travel had an emotional moment Monday as they proposed to name a crater in honor of the deceased wife of mission commander Reid Wiseman.

From Barron's • Apr. 6, 2026

He says he knew of only three deceased people on the premises.

From BBC • Apr. 2, 2026

The filings in Los Angeles County Superior Court show Cal/OSHA began its investigation into the working conditions and training provided to the deceased detectives three days after the explosion.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026

McBride had been married to a Creek Indian, now deceased, and was raising his stepdaughter.

From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023