deceased
Americanadjective
noun
adjective
Related Words
See dead.
Other Word Forms
- undeceased adjective
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.
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
The niece and grand-niece of the deceased commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, Gen Qasem Soleimani, have been arrested, the State Department has said.
From BBC • Apr. 4, 2026
Humberside Police removed 35 bodies and the ashes of 167 people from Legacy's parlour in Hessle Road following a "concern for care of the deceased" in March 2024.
From BBC • Apr. 2, 2026
This is not a good time to remind the family that the deceased owes you money.
From Each Little Bird That Sings by Deborah Wiles
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.
