post·mor·tem
ˌpōs(t)-ˈmȯr-təm 
1
: done, occurring, or collected after death
postmortem tissue specimens
2
: following the event
1
2
: an analysis or discussion of an event after it is over
Examples of postmortem in a Sentence
Adjective
postmortem tests on the brain tissue of people who had been suffering from Alzheimer's disease
Noun
A postmortem showed that the man had been poisoned.
Party leaders are conducting a postmortem of the election to try to find out what went wrong.
Recent Examples on the Web
Brian Spegele, WSJ, 22 Dec. 2022
The vertical occipital fasciculus, or VOF, is identified in a postmortem human brain in 1909, but labeled with a different name.
—Jenny Blair, Discover Magazine, 1 Oct. 2015
Bailey Richards, People.com, 10 May 2025
Lawmakers’ antics during Tuesday’s speech and strident culture-war stances suggest the postmortem is a long way off.
—Audrey Fahlberg, National Review, 6 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for postmortem
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Adjective
In recent years, that has appeared in postmortem blood samples of drug users in Europe and the U.S.
—Brian Spegele, WSJ, 22 Dec. 2022
The vertical occipital fasciculus, or VOF, is identified in a postmortem human brain in 1909, but labeled with a different name.
—Jenny Blair, Discover Magazine, 1 Oct. 2015
Noun
This aligns with preliminary postmortem findings, which suggested that the 11-year-old did not drown, the outlet reported.
—Bailey Richards, People.com, 10 May 2025
Lawmakers’ antics during Tuesday’s speech and strident culture-war stances suggest the postmortem is a long way off.
—Audrey Fahlberg, National Review, 6 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for postmortem
Cite this Entry
“Postmortem.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/postmortem. Accessed 20 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
postmortem
1 of 2 adjective
post·mor·tem
(ˈ)pōs(t)-ˈmȯrt-əm
: done or occurring after death
postmortem
2 of 2 noun1
: autopsy
2
: an analysis or discussion of an event after it is over
Medical Definition
postmortem
1 of 3 adjective
post·mor·tem
(ˈ)pōst-ˈmȯrt-əm
: done, occurring, or collected after death
postmortem tissue specimens
postmortem
2 of 3 noun
: autopsy
post-mortem
3 of 3 adverb
post-mor·tem
: after death
seven cases examined post-mortem
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