oʊˈbɪtʃəˌweri 
British əˈbɪtʃuəri
plural obituaries
: an article in a newspaper about the life of someone who has died recently
I read/saw her obituary in the newspaper.
an obituary writer/notice
—sometimes used figurativelyThe company is not doing well, but it's too soon to write an/its obituary. [=too soon to think that the company will fail]
Cite this Entry
“Obituary.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/obituary. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
Copy Citation
