post·mor·tem
ˌpōs(t)-ˈmȯr-təm 
1
: done, occurring, or collected after death
postmortem tissue specimens
2
: following the event
1
2
: an analysis or discussion of an event after it is over
Synonyms
Examples of postmortem in a Sentence
Adjective
postmortem tests on the brain tissue of people who had been suffering from Alzheimer's disease
Noun
A postmortem showed that the man had been poisoned.
Party leaders are conducting a postmortem of the election to try to find out what went wrong.
Recent Examples on the Web
Brian Spegele, WSJ, 22 Dec. 2022
The vertical occipital fasciculus, or VOF, is identified in a postmortem human brain in 1909, but labeled with a different name.
—Jenny Blair, Discover Magazine, 1 Oct. 2015
Frank Stewart, The Mercury News, 2 Oct. 2024
The research, published Monday in the journal JAMA Neurology, is distinct from many other studies on CTE in that it is based on survey data from former players who are still alive, even though CTE can only be officially diagnosed via an examination of the brain postmortem.
—Randi Richardson, NBC News, 25 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for postmortem 
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.
Adjective
In recent years, that has appeared in postmortem blood samples of drug users in Europe and the U.S.
—Brian Spegele, WSJ, 22 Dec. 2022
The vertical occipital fasciculus, or VOF, is identified in a postmortem human brain in 1909, but labeled with a different name.
—Jenny Blair, Discover Magazine, 1 Oct. 2015
Noun
What is certain is that the partnership could have conducted a more empathetic postmortem.
—Frank Stewart, The Mercury News, 2 Oct. 2024
The research, published Monday in the journal JAMA Neurology, is distinct from many other studies on CTE in that it is based on survey data from former players who are still alive, even though CTE can only be officially diagnosed via an examination of the brain postmortem.
—Randi Richardson, NBC News, 25 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for postmortem
Dictionary Entries Near postmortem
Cite this Entry
“Postmortem.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/postmortem. Accessed 2 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
postmortem
1 of 2 adjective
post·mor·tem
(ˈ)pōs(t)-ˈmȯrt-əm
: done or occurring after death
postmortem
2 of 2 noun1
: autopsy
2
: an analysis or discussion of an event after it is over
Medical Definition
postmortem
1 of 3 adjective
post·mor·tem
(ˈ)pōst-ˈmȯrt-əm
: done, occurring, or collected after death
postmortem tissue specimens
postmortem
2 of 3 noun
: autopsy
post-mortem
3 of 3 adverb
post-mor·tem
: after death
seven cases examined post-mortem
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share