# stillborn

/ˈstɪɫˈbɔɹn/ (US) · /stˈɪlbɔːn/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Adjective

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/stillborn
Updated: 2026-05-28

## Definition

describing a baby that dies before or during birth. It can also describe a plan or idea that fails to work or develop.

For teachers: referring to a fetus that dies in the uterus before birth or during delivery. In a figurative sense, it describes a proposal or project that fails to achieve its intended purpose or progress.

## Examples

- The doctors worked hard to save the stillborn baby.
- The committee decided to abandon the stillborn proposal after it failed to gain any support from the local residents.
- While the initial concept was promising, the stillborn initiative was eventually scrapped due to a lack of funding and internal disagreements among the project leads.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.