testator
noun
tes·ta·tor
ˈte-ˌstā-tər 
te-ˈstā-
: a person who dies leaving a will or testament in force
Examples of testator in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In contrast to the discussions above concerning trusts under wills or revocable trusts where the testator creating the will or settlor creating the trust is still alive and can readily modify the document, an old irrevocable trust may not be modified.
—
Martin Shenkman, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025
The testator’s answers to questions are used to populate fields in the software.
—Virginia Hammerle, Dallas News, 23 July 2023
The type most people think about is a holographic will, which is entirely in the testator’s own handwriting.
—Virginia Hammerle, Dallas News, 23 July 2023
In another case, the testator named himself as the sole beneficiary of his estate.
—Virginia Hammerle, Dallas News, 23 July 2023
Executors should not disclose details of a will without permission of the testator (the person writing the will).
—Amy Dickinson, Washington Post, 12 Aug. 2022
Wills and trusts were vulnerable to legal challenge if the testator was deemed insane, and those episodes had inspired whispers about Stanford’s erratic decision-making and her communions with spirits.
—Maia Silber, The New Yorker, 30 May 2022
The default survival period: A beneficiary must survive the testator (the person making the will) by at least 120 hours.
—Dallas News, 8 Aug. 2021
This allows the testator to avoid burdening a beneficiary who may not have enough income to pay the debt on a particular asset.
—Dallas News, 8 Aug. 2021
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Martin Shenkman, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025
The testator’s answers to questions are used to populate fields in the software.
—Virginia Hammerle, Dallas News, 23 July 2023
The type most people think about is a holographic will, which is entirely in the testator’s own handwriting.
—Virginia Hammerle, Dallas News, 23 July 2023
In another case, the testator named himself as the sole beneficiary of his estate.
—Virginia Hammerle, Dallas News, 23 July 2023
Executors should not disclose details of a will without permission of the testator (the person writing the will).
—Amy Dickinson, Washington Post, 12 Aug. 2022
Wills and trusts were vulnerable to legal challenge if the testator was deemed insane, and those episodes had inspired whispers about Stanford’s erratic decision-making and her communions with spirits.
—Maia Silber, The New Yorker, 30 May 2022
The default survival period: A beneficiary must survive the testator (the person making the will) by at least 120 hours.
—Dallas News, 8 Aug. 2021
This allows the testator to avoid burdening a beneficiary who may not have enough income to pay the debt on a particular asset.
—Dallas News, 8 Aug. 2021
Cite this Entry
“Testator.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/testator. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
testator
noun
tes·ta·tor
ˈtes-ˌtāt-ər
tes-ˈtāt-
: a person who leaves a will in force at the time of death
Legal Definition
testator
noun
tes·ta·tor
ˈte-ˌstā-tər
: a person who dies leaving a will
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share