posthumously

adverb

post·​hu·​mous·​ly ˈpäs-chə-məs-lē How to pronounce posthumously (audio)
 also  -tə-,
-tyə-,
-thə-;
päst-ˈhyü-məs-,
ˈpōst-,
-ˈyü-
: after the death of the person in question
a book published posthumously
a medal awarded posthumously
Plath's magnificent Ariel, written mostly during the final months of her life and assembled posthumously by Hughes, takes the notion of confessional poetry to verbal and imaginative extremes.Christopher Benfey
Flannery O'Connor united both traditions and is duly, albeit posthumously, celebrated.Walker Percy

Examples of posthumously in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Executive produced by Michelle and Barack Obama, who posthumously awarded Rustin the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2013, the buzzy biopic dramatizes the weeks leading up to the historic march and explores Rustin’s identity as an openly gay Black man torn between love and duty in the 1960s. Max Gao, NBC News, 17 Nov. 2023 Robertson, who died in June at age 80, would become the first composer to be nominated in this category posthumously since Bernard Herrmann was cited in 1976 for both Obsession and Taxi Driver. Paul Grein, Billboard, 17 Nov. 2023 This diagnosis has been applied again and again, even posthumously, as a justification for extreme, and sometimes deadly, interventions by law enforcement. Torie Bosch, STAT, 8 Nov. 2023 In 2015, President Obama posthumously awarded Johnson the Medal of Honor. Brennon Dixson, Los Angeles Times, 11 Nov. 2023 Among the other artists inducted into this year’s Roll Hall were Rage Against the Machine, The Spinners, Al Kooper, Kate Bush — who was not in attendance — and George Michael, posthumously. Escher Walcott, Peoplemag, 4 Nov. 2023 The Ahmet Ertegun Award was posthumously awarded to Don Cornelius, the creator of Soul Train. Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 3 Nov. 2023 In 2013, Barack Obama posthumously awarded Rustin the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Zachary Clary, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Nov. 2023 Robbie Robertson, who died in August at age 80, is nominated posthumously for score – feature film for his work on Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon. Paul Grein, Billboard, 2 Nov. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'posthumously.' 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

1754, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of posthumously was in 1754

Dictionary Entries Near posthumously

Cite this Entry

“Posthumously.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/posthumously. Accessed 30 Nov. 2023.

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