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: no longer valid : having exceeded its period of validity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

In worst-case scenarios, application of expired makeup could lead to irritation, breakouts, or eye infections. — Louise Parks, Martha Stewart, 27 June 2026

Customers can use their expired coupons until July 13. — Los Angeles Times, Mercury News, 23 June 2026

King recommends going through your refrigerator to throw away any expired or rotten food before cleaning the inside with soap and hot water. — Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 19 June 2026

While the elevator was running during the inspection, the county issued a violation for an expired inspection certificate. — Bri Buckley, CBS News, 18 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1631, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for expired

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