stillborn

adjective

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

Examples of stillborn in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
My wife became pregnant, and our first daughter, Anne, was stillborn. — Glenn Bostock, Forbes.com, 5 June 2026 The child, which the woman named Presley Mae, was delivered stillborn, officials said. — Catherine Dominguez, Houston Chronicle, 24 Feb. 2026 Only around 2 percent of births in seventeenth-century England were stillborn due to obstruction. — Literary Hub, 16 June 2026 Carlos and Alexa PenaVega's fourth child, Indy Rex, was stillborn in 2024. — Sharareh Drury, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for stillborn

Word History

First Known Use

1593, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of stillborn was in 1593

Rhymes for stillborn

See All Rhymes for stillborn

Browse Nearby Words

stillbirth
stillborn
still box
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Stillborn.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stillborn. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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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
-ˌbȯ(ə)rn How to pronounce stillborn (audio)
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on stillborn

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for stillborn

Nglish: Translation of stillborn for Spanish Speakers

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