stillborn

adjective

still·​born ˈstil-ˈbȯrn How to pronounce stillborn (audio)
Synonyms of stillbornnext
1
: dead at birth
2
: failing from the start : abortive, unsuccessful
a stillborn venture
stillborn noun

Examples of stillborn in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Lauryn, a primary school teacher, had an uncomplicated pregnancy, but things took a turn during labor and her daughter Lois was stillborn. Gina Kalsi, PEOPLE, 13 May 2026 Freeman Funeral Home and Cremations, which opened for business less than two years ago on Martin Luther King Boulevard in Pompano Beach, has not formally responded to the lawsuit filed last July by the family of Na-mir Crane, who was stillborn on April 9, 2025. Rafael Olmeda, Sun Sentinel, 1 Apr. 2026 Carlos and Alexa PenaVega's fourth child, Indy Rex, was stillborn in 2024. Sharareh Drury, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Mar. 2026 The child, which the woman named Presley Mae, was delivered stillborn, officials said. Catherine Dominguez, Houston Chronicle, 24 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for stillborn

Word History

First Known Use

1593, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of stillborn was in 1593

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Cite this Entry

“Stillborn.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stillborn. Accessed 18 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

stillborn

adjective
still·​born -ˈbȯ(ə)rn How to pronounce stillborn (audio)
: dead at birth

Medical Definition

stillborn

adjective
still·​born -ˈbȯ(ə)rn How to pronounce stillborn (audio)
: dead at birth compare live-born
stillborn noun

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