rigor mortis

[rig-er mawr-tis, rahy-gawr] / ˈrɪg ər ˈmɔr tɪs, ˈraɪ gɔr /

NOUN

stiffening at death

Synonyms

WEAK

death rattle muscular stiffening swan song

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

“This implies they were put there before rigor mortis set in or after it had passed.”

From New York Times • May 16, 2023

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

Paramedics told investigators the man had rigor mortis, meaning he had been dead for hours, undercutting the staff’s contention they monitored patients closely.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 22, 2022

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

From "Artemis Fowl" by Eoin Colfer