expired

adjective

ex·​pired ik-ˈspī(-ə)rd 

ek-

1

formal : dead, deceased

—often used as a euphemistic or humorous alternative to dead

A shovel, bucket, trash bags, and gloves are also useful items for cleaning up expired wildlife.

—Jeffrey Price and Jeffrey Forrest

… I've exercised my maternal instincts on him, doing a far better job of keeping him alive than all those expired plants now in the great compost pile in the sky.

—Kerry Quinn

There, firmly lodged within the pipe and obstructing the flow of water, was a catfish. The expired creature was removed, brought on board, and mounted in the main passenger cabin for all to see.

—John Laurence Busch

2

: no longer valid : having exceeded its period of validity

expired licenses

an expired contract

… Mr. Adams uses homemade software to download online books with expired copyrights …

—Michael M. Phillips

3

: having passed its expiration date (see expiration date sense 2)

expired milk

expired drugs

… networks that now take us into the homes of people who treasure their expired tuna cans more than they do their children …

—Carina Chocano

4

: emitted as or in a person's breath : breathed out

… the person exhales into a container at regular intervals and technicians measure the amount of hydrogen in the expired air.

—Colleen Sauber

Synonyms of expired

• defunct
• extinct
• vanished
• gone

Examples of expired in a Sentence

a wildlife organization dedicated to ensuring that the giant panda not be added to the list of expired species

Recent Examples on the Web

Other unions also pushing for improved contracts The 30,000 members of Local 99 also are working under terms of an expired contract, since June 30, 2024. —Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 31 Jan. 2026

The price and lack of access have led some diabetics to underdose, use expired insulin, reuse needles or starve themselves to control their blood sugar levels. —Kyle Werner, Des Moines Register, 30 Jan. 2026

Check the expiration dates, especially for ingredients like spices and leavening agents that might not look spoiled but can lose their potency, and toss any expired or unwanted items. —Heather Riske, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Jan. 2026

Under both bills, first-time offenders who perform without a license or with an expired license face a misdemeanor punishable by a $500 fine, one year confinement or both. —Barbara Hoberock, Oklahoman, 28 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1631, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for expired

• reacquired
• aspired
• attired
• retired
• mired
• spired