expired
adjective
ex·pired
ik-ˈspī(-ə)rd 
ek-
1
formal
: dead, deceased
—often used as a euphemistic or humorous alternative to dead
A shovel, bucket, trash bags, and gloves are also useful items for cleaning up expired wildlife.—
Jeffrey Price and Jeffrey Forrest
Jeffrey Price and Jeffrey Forrest… I've exercised my maternal instincts on him, doing a far better job of keeping him alive than all those expired plants now in the great compost pile in the sky.—Kerry Quinn
Kerry QuinnThere, firmly lodged within the pipe and obstructing the flow of water, was a catfish. The expired creature was removed, brought on board, and mounted in the main passenger cabin for all to see.—John Laurence Busch
John Laurence Busch2
: no longer valid : having exceeded its period of validity
expired licenses
an expired contract
… Mr. Adams uses homemade software to download online books with expired copyrights …—Michael M. Phillips
Michael M. Phillips3
: having passed its expiration date (see expiration date sense 2)
expired milk
expired drugs
… networks that now take us into the homes of people who treasure their expired tuna cans more than they do their children …—Carina Chocano
Carina Chocano4
: emitted as or in a person's breath : breathed out
… the person exhales into a container at regular intervals and technicians measure the amount of hydrogen in the expired air.—Colleen Sauber
Colleen SauberExamples of expired in a Sentence
a wildlife organization dedicated to ensuring that the giant panda not be added to the list of expired species
Recent Examples on the Web
Most Rent Guidelines Board members are on expired terms under Adams, who has overseen rent increases during his tenure.
—Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 31 Dec. 2025
He was cited for careless driving, failing to submit insurance within 24 hours and having an expired tag for less than six months, court records show.
—Sofia Saric, Miami Herald, 29 Dec. 2025
With veterinary supplies scarce during the conflict, the rescue project has relied on expired medicines, human drugs and its own food in a desperate measure to keep cats and dogs alive.
—Kayla Hayempour, NBC news, 28 Dec. 2025
Clear out the old leftovers and expired condiments, deep clean the drawers, and use bins to organize produce and meats separately.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 27 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for expired
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Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 31 Dec. 2025
He was cited for careless driving, failing to submit insurance within 24 hours and having an expired tag for less than six months, court records show.
—Sofia Saric, Miami Herald, 29 Dec. 2025
With veterinary supplies scarce during the conflict, the rescue project has relied on expired medicines, human drugs and its own food in a desperate measure to keep cats and dogs alive.
—Kayla Hayempour, NBC news, 28 Dec. 2025
Clear out the old leftovers and expired condiments, deep clean the drawers, and use bins to organize produce and meats separately.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 27 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for expired
Cite this Entry
“Expired.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/expired. Accessed 6 Jan. 2026.
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