as in autopsies
examination of a dead body especially to find out the cause of death
a necropsy failed to definitively establish a cause of death
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Recent Examples of necropsies
Gwinnett County Police Department After a series of veterinary examinations and necropsies, authorities obtained 12 felony warrants and 14 misdemeanor warrants for 67-year-old Christine Abbott and 65-year-old Donna Slavin.
—
Dan Raby, CBS News, 23 Dec. 2025
The Humane Society said the four dead cats would be taken to the Cornell Animal Diagnostic Center, where necropsies would be done to determine their cause of death.
—Sean Neumann, PEOPLE, 12 Dec. 2025
The algae blooms even affected whales, with at least two found dead on beaches in Southern California, necropsies confirming high levels of toxins.
—Erika I. Ritchie, Oc Register, 29 Oct. 2025
Of the whales examined through necropsies, about 40% had evidence of human interaction, either by ship strike or entanglement.
—Sara Chernikoff, USA Today, 5 Aug. 2025
Dan Raby, CBS News, 23 Dec. 2025
The Humane Society said the four dead cats would be taken to the Cornell Animal Diagnostic Center, where necropsies would be done to determine their cause of death.
—Sean Neumann, PEOPLE, 12 Dec. 2025
The algae blooms even affected whales, with at least two found dead on beaches in Southern California, necropsies confirming high levels of toxins.
—Erika I. Ritchie, Oc Register, 29 Oct. 2025
Of the whales examined through necropsies, about 40% had evidence of human interaction, either by ship strike or entanglement.
—Sara Chernikoff, USA Today, 5 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for necropsies
autopsies
Noun
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The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner was expected to conduct autopsies on both victims as investigators worked to confirm their identities, state police said.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
5 Jan. 2026
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His duties include determining the cause and manner of deaths and ordering autopsies in homicides, suicides, accidents, drug overdoses or deaths with undetermined causes because the county doesn't have a medical examiner.—
Claire Osborn,
Austin American Statesman,
4 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Necropsies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/necropsies. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
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