1
: characterized by brain death
2
: lacking intelligence or vitality
brain-dead fools

Examples of brain-dead in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The year is 2005, the location Clearwater, Fla., and the parking lot at Suncoast Hospice is jammed with anti-euthanasia activists loudly protesting a judge’s decision to let the brain-dead Terri Schiavo be disconnected from her feeding tube. Ty Burr, Washington Post, 6 Feb. 2024 On a gurney, a brain-dead patient lay connected to a whirring Rube Goldberg-esque machine: a tangle of tubes and siphons on wheels. Megan Molteni, STAT, 18 Jan. 2024 But before then, the researchers want to conduct more tests in people who are brain-dead, including those whose own liver is not functioning, and see whether the pig livers can function for up to one week. Sara Reardon, Scientific American, 18 Jan. 2024 The Penn team plans to refine the procedure on an additional three brain-dead people. Emily Mullin, WIRED, 18 Jan. 2024 Elijah McClain's death: Cop acquitted in 2nd trial of police officers McClain was declared brain-dead days later and died on Aug. 30, 2019. Tesfaye Negussie, ABC News, 2 Dec. 2023 Daniel was brain-dead and transported to a hospital, where his family ultimately decided to take him off life support. Audrey Conklin, Fox News, 15 Nov. 2023 Elijah McClain's family to receive $15 million from the city of Aurora in son's death McClain was declared brain-dead days later and died on Aug. 30, 2019. Kiara Alfonseca, ABC News, 6 Nov. 2023 Iran says teenage girl ‘brain-dead’ weeks after alleged morality police encounter Armita Geravandvia X A teenage girl who fell into a coma after an incident on Iranian public transport is brain-dead, state media in Iran reported. Elizabeth Both, NBC News, 23 Oct. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'brain-dead.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1972, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of brain-dead was in 1972

Dictionary Entries Near brain-dead

Cite this Entry

“Brain-dead.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brain-dead. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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