death rate

American  

[deth reyt] / ˈdɛθ ˌreɪt /

noun

1. mortality rate.

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death rate British  

noun

1. Also called (esp US): mortality rate.  the ratio of deaths in a specified area, group, etc, to the population of that area, group, etc

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Etymology

Origin of death rate

First recorded in 1855–60

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

death rate

The death rate fell 4.6% last year, to 689.2 deaths per 100,000 people, down from 722.1 in 2024, according to the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 2, 2026

Supervisor Kathryn Barger abstained from the vote, arguing the county could not address the death rate without building a new facility.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 3, 2026

We can cut this death rate with early and consistent prenatal care, research has shown.

From Salon ● Mar. 1, 2026

In poorer regions, such as Buryatia in eastern Siberia, and Tuva in southern Siberia, the death rate is 27 to 33 times higher respectively than in the capital.

From BBC ● Feb. 19, 2026

Go up 1 percent to a 96 percent death rate and the figure jumps to 12.5 million—creating more than two million people arithmetically from a tiny increase in mortality rates.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann