as in autopsy
examination of a dead body especially to find out the cause of death
a coroner performed the postmortem examination with painstaking thoroughness
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Recent Examples of postmortem examination
No note from the victim was recovered and officials determined the cause of death to be suicide based on their postmortem examination, said Sterling McLaren, chief medical examiner for the city and county of Denver.
—
Mead Gruver,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
McLaren said a postmortem examination revealed the manner of death was suicide.
—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
12 May 2026
In fact, the questioning of Chalker was part of a postmortem examination of a misstep by the case officer who had handed him the key.
—
David D. Kirkpatrick,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
More information will be revealed after a postmortem examination is completed.
—
Lillian Metzmeier,
Louisville Courier Journal,
1 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for postmortem examination
Mead Gruver,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
McLaren said a postmortem examination revealed the manner of death was suicide.
—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
12 May 2026
In fact, the questioning of Chalker was part of a postmortem examination of a misstep by the case officer who had handed him the key.
—
David D. Kirkpatrick,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
More information will be revealed after a postmortem examination is completed.
—
Lillian Metzmeier,
Louisville Courier Journal,
1 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for postmortem examination
Recent Examples of Synonyms for postmortem examination
autopsy
Noun
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The Butler County Coroner's Office responded to the scene and performed an autopsy.
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The Broward Medical Examiner’s Office will conduct an autopsy to determine Powell’s cause of death.
Cite this Entry
“Postmortem examination.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/postmortem%20examination. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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