deceased
Americanadjective
noun
adjective
Synonym Usage
See dead.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of deceased
Explanation
When someone is deceased, they are dead — not dying or even just about to die. They are dead. The word deceased has been around since the 15th century, however, when people talk of someone's having died, they rarely use deceased in conversation. For example, if you ask someone how their dog is and their dog is recently deceased, they'll most likely use a less technical phrase such as "no longer with us," or "passed away." The word deceased is more formal, and most often used in the documentation of death or in legal situations, as in "we are here to read the will of the deceased."
Vocabulary lists containing deceased
Salt to the Sea
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"Superman and Me" and "A Smart Cookie/It's Our Story, Too"
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The War I Finally Won
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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.
Dozens of people said they wanted the same kind of content featuring deceased relatives.
From BBC • Jun. 13, 2026
Nearby, a woman wept as she embraced a framed picture of her deceased relatives, while another family scattered rose petals at the ruins of the hostel in honour of their son.
From Barron's • Jun. 12, 2026
And in the impromptu eulogy of her deceased husband, Erika convicted me, though I’m sure she didn’t know it.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 5, 2026
As a widow, you do qualify for benefits that unmarried individuals are not privy to, such as a step-up in payment amount if your deceased spouse’s benefit was higher than yours.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 2, 2026
As Halliday’s former closest friend, everyone assumed he alone could explain why the deceased billionaire had put his entire fortune up for grabs.
From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
