abgelaufen

Abgelaufen is a German adjective formed from the verb ablaufen, meaning to run out or to expire. It describes something that has passed its valid period, deadline, or intended time window. In everyday use it commonly refers to items or periods that are no longer usable or valid because their time has ended.

The term is widely used for physical items and formal periods. For food, medicines, or beverages, abgelaufen indicates that the product’s expiration date has passed. For deadlines, contracts, or permits, abgelaufen signals that the allowed time has ended and the item or obligation is no longer current. In many cases, the related noun forms are frequently used: Ablaufdatum or Verfallsdatum (expiration date), Mindesthaltbarkeitsdatum (best-before date), and Frist (deadline). The distinction between abgelaufen and verfallen is nuanced: verfallen often emphasizes loss of value or legal validity, while abgelaufen more directly denotes that a time limit has passed.

Usage notes and variations: German speakers distinguish between items that are technically expired and those that are still usable but past their best quality. For example, abgelaufene Lebensmittel may be unsafe or of degraded quality, whereas some medicines beyond their expiration may still be ineffective or unsafe. The term is versatile and can apply to informal contexts (a coupon or voucher is abgelaufen) as well as formal ones (a license or permit has abgelaufen). English equivalents are typically expired or has expired.

See also: expiration date, shelf life, best-before date, Verfallsdatum, Frist, Vertrag.