as in autopsy
examination of a dead body especially to find out the cause of death
a coroner performed the postmortem examination with painstaking thoroughness
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Recent Examples of postmortem examination
More information will be revealed after a postmortem examination is completed.
—
Lillian Metzmeier, Louisville Courier Journal, 1 Dec. 2025
His remains were transported to the Cook County medical examiner’s office, where family members confirmed his identity following a postmortem examination.
—Samantha Moilanen, Chicago Tribune, 7 May 2025
While the postmortem examination took two hours to complete, Francisco decided to make a public statement about Elvis Presley‘s cause of death midway through the process without the consent of his fellow pathologists.
—Jenzia Burgos, StyleCaster, 9 Oct. 2024
Detective Superintendent Mike Brown of Suffolk Police said during a coroner's inquest in Ipswich on Friday, Oct. 4, that the 59-year-old was determined to have drowned following a postmortem examination, the BBC and The Guardian report.
—Abigail Adams, People.com, 4 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for postmortem examination
Lillian Metzmeier, Louisville Courier Journal, 1 Dec. 2025
His remains were transported to the Cook County medical examiner’s office, where family members confirmed his identity following a postmortem examination.
—Samantha Moilanen, Chicago Tribune, 7 May 2025
While the postmortem examination took two hours to complete, Francisco decided to make a public statement about Elvis Presley‘s cause of death midway through the process without the consent of his fellow pathologists.
—Jenzia Burgos, StyleCaster, 9 Oct. 2024
Detective Superintendent Mike Brown of Suffolk Police said during a coroner's inquest in Ipswich on Friday, Oct. 4, that the 59-year-old was determined to have drowned following a postmortem examination, the BBC and The Guardian report.
—Abigail Adams, People.com, 4 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for postmortem examination
Recent Examples of Synonyms for postmortem examination
autopsy
Noun
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An autopsy found Shirley Dermond died from two or three blows to the head.—
Dan Raby,
CBS News,
8 May 2026
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The Ada County Coroner’s Office performs autopsies and investigates deaths from violence and those that occurred under suspicious circumstances, among others.—
Nicole Blanchard,
Idaho Statesman,
8 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Postmortem examination.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/postmortem%20examination. Accessed 16 May. 2026.
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