the deceased

noun

formal
: a dead person or dead people
a relative of the deceased
Three of the deceased are being buried today.

Examples of the deceased in a Sentence

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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.
The identity of the deceased victim has not been released at this time. Jillian Frankel, People.com, 11 Aug. 2025 Despite advanced decomposition, authorities identified the deceased as local resident Denise Leary, 59. Flint McColgan, Boston Herald, 10 Aug. 2025 Why do states need to pass laws about human composting? State laws cover questions about whether the deceased's body can be taken home; embalming and burial regulations; guidelines for what materials may or may not be used; obtaining death certificates; and transporting and/or transmitting remains. Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 9 Aug. 2025 So far, roughly 40% of the deceased have been identified. Brian Mann, NPR, 7 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for the deceased

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“The deceased.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20deceased. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.

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