stillborn

adjective

still·​born ˈstil-ˈbȯrn How to pronounce stillborn (audio)
1
: dead at birth
2
: failing from the start : abortive, unsuccessful
a stillborn venture
stillborn noun

Examples of stillborn in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Ellen died giving birth to the couple’s fourth child, Robert Fraser, who was stillborn. Emma Dibdin, ELLE, 16 June 2023 The marine mammals get sick, are stillborn or even wash ashore after being fatally struck by a boat. Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 23 Dec. 2023 In 2019, a Warren County, Ohio, woman was found guilty of abuse of a corpse in connection with the death of her newborn daughter; her defense lawyer said the baby was stillborn. Kim Bellware, Washington Post, 15 Dec. 2023 But the report shows none for Anne Arundel County, where Onyx Burns was stillborn. Amy Brittain, Washington Post, 26 Dec. 2023 While there is an exception for conditions from which an unborn child would be stillborn, die after birth or die shortly after, Gonzales said the doctors still denied her care. Nadine El-Bawab, ABC News, 16 Dec. 2023 At least 95% of fetuses with the condition don’t survive to full term, meaning pregnancies end in miscarriage or babies are stillborn. Daniella Silva, NBC News, 12 Dec. 2023 Tens of thousands died fighting for and against it, destroying the careers of two presidents — one Armenian, one Azerbaijani — and tormenting a generation of American, Russian and European diplomats pushing stillborn peace plans. Ivan Nechepurenko Nanna Heitmann, New York Times, 27 Sep. 2023 Whether a child is stillborn, miscarried, or aborted, women often endure the same procedures and then face similar recoveries, navigating postpartum bodies while finding their way back to themselves and to a new future that no longer includes a child. Sara Harrison, ELLE, 17 Aug. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'stillborn.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1593, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of stillborn was in 1593

Dictionary Entries Near stillborn

Cite this Entry

“Stillborn.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stillborn. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

stillborn

adjective
still·​born -ˈbȯ(ə)rn How to pronounce stillborn (audio)
: dead at birth

Medical Definition

stillborn

adjective
still·​born -ˈbȯ(ə)rn How to pronounce stillborn (audio)
: dead at birth compare live-born
stillborn noun

More from Merriam-Webster on stillborn

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