natural death

American  

noun

1. death that occurs from natural causes, as disease or old age, rather than from violence or an accident.

---

Etymology

Origin of natural death

First recorded in 1570–80

Example Sentences

US actress Michelle Trachtenberg died a natural death from complications caused by diabetes, according to the New York City medical examiner's office.

From BBC • Apr. 16, 2025

The Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner announced in January 2019 that she died a natural death due to lobar pneumonia — despite conspiracy theories that were shut down by her children.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 2, 2024

It was a fairly radical innovation in its day, an era when kings and emperors generally gave up power only upon natural death or at the point of a weapon.

From New York Times • Aug. 1, 2023

Even after the change in the legislation, about 98% of the assisted deaths in 2021 were people deemed near their natural death, according to Health Canada data.

From Reuters • Jul. 15, 2023

Some judges seemed to want to get as close to life expectancy or natural death as possible before they would create release opportunities for child offenders.

From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson