wrongful death

noun

: a death caused by the negligent, willful, or wrongful act, neglect, omission, or default of another

Examples of wrongful death in a Sentence

She filed a wrongful death suit against the hospital, alleging that its negligence led to her daughter's death.

Recent Examples on the Web

Attorney Peter Bertling is suing the United States government on behalf of the Giller family for wrongful death. — Jennifer Mayerle, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026

Cesar Morales, who was 17 years old at the time, and his parents, Arnold Morales and Susana Salto Alvarez, were found liable Tuesday after a nearly three-week wrongful death trial. — Jason Green, Mercury News, 12 Aug. 2026

Carradine’s children filed the suit on Friday, per The Wrap, which alleges wrongful death as well as elder abuse and neglect. — Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Aug. 2026

And now, Jazmine’s family’s lawyer, Jonathan Feinberg of the law firm Kairys, Rudovsky, Messing, Feinberg & Lin, is in the process of filing a wrongful death claim with the Pennsylvania Institutional Law Project. — Connor Greene, Time, 10 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1952, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for wrongful death

• shibboleth
• beth
• breath
• heth
• lethe
• meth
• neath
• seth
• sheth
• sneath

Legal Definition

wrongful death

noun

: a death caused by the negligent, willful, or wrongful act, neglect, omission, or default of another

sought damages for the wrongful death of their murdered daughter