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rigor mortis

[rig-er mawr-tis, rahy-gawr] / ˈrɪg ər ˈmɔr tɪs, ˈraɪ gɔr /
NOUN
stiffening at death
Synonyms


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The inquest was told rigor mortis - the stiffening of the body after death - had set in.

From BBC • Mar. 20, 2026

Amid the war dead lies a horse on its back, presumably in a state of rigor mortis but better resembling a house pet in need of a belly rub.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 20, 2023

The paramedics were called into a room where the lead nurse was performing CPR on a dead man with rigor mortis.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 6, 2023

To make it easier on a woman who has snuck past security to see her father's body, he wraps gauze around his head to close the open mouth that occurs when rigor mortis sets in.

From Salon • Sep. 21, 2021

Once removed from its pore, the hair immediately stiffened in rapid rigor mortis.

From "Artemis Fowl" by Eoin Colfer



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