mortality rate
noun
plural mortality rates
: the ratio between deaths and individuals in a specified population and during a particular time period : the incidence of deaths in a given population during a defined time period (such as one year) that is typically expressed per 1000 or 100,000 individuals : death rate
an annual mortality rate of 15 deaths per 1000 people
Note: A crude mortality rate does not distinguish between specific causes of death or groups of individuals and measures the incidence of all deaths in a population during a given time period. More specific mortality rates are based on narrower categories of individuals or causes of death.
an infant mortality rate of 9 deaths per 1000 live births
mortality rates of lung cancer patients
infectious disease mortality rates
Examples of mortality rate in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The 55-plus age group showed a significantly higher mortality rate than those aged 20-54.
—
Gary Stern, Forbes.com, 29 May 2025
The mortality rates of small indie presses and literary journals are a depressing feature of our cultural landscape.
—Michael Washburn, National Review, 25 May 2025
While breast cancer mortality rates have steadily decreased across the board, breast cancer incidence rates are still trending upward, especially in women under 50, per recent American Cancer Society data.
—Mara Santilli, Flow Space, 21 May 2025
But her situation is undoubtedly alarming for those seeking solutions to disparities in the maternal mortality rate among Black women.
—Kate Brumback, Los Angeles Times, 18 May 2025
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Gary Stern, Forbes.com, 29 May 2025
The mortality rates of small indie presses and literary journals are a depressing feature of our cultural landscape.
—Michael Washburn, National Review, 25 May 2025
While breast cancer mortality rates have steadily decreased across the board, breast cancer incidence rates are still trending upward, especially in women under 50, per recent American Cancer Society data.
—Mara Santilli, Flow Space, 21 May 2025
But her situation is undoubtedly alarming for those seeking solutions to disparities in the maternal mortality rate among Black women.
—Kate Brumback, Los Angeles Times, 18 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for mortality rate
Cite this Entry
“Mortality rate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mortality%20rate. Accessed 13 Jun. 2025.
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