deadline

noun

dead·​line ˈded-ˌlīn 

1

: a line drawn within or around a prison that a prisoner passes at the risk of being shot

2

a

: a date or time before which something must be done

b

: the time after which copy is not accepted for a particular issue of a publication

see also:

on deadline

Examples of deadline in a Sentence

She worked on her composition right up until the deadline.

We had to hurry to meet the deadline.

The project was completed a week past its deadline.

The deadline for submitting college applications is April 19th.

They're working under a deadline.

Recent Examples on the Web

Final accounting for 2025-26 revenue sharing is still to be completed, but big market clubs are on the hook for bigger bills after seven teams ducked under the luxury tax threshold ahead of the trade deadline. — Kurt Badenhausen, Sportico.com, 9 Oct. 2026

In Kansas, a theme park was originally slated to debut in 2026 but received a formal operating deadline extension to May 2031. — Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026

Can a move at the trade deadline catapult the 49ers to a Super Bowl? — Chris Biderman, Sacbee.com, 9 Oct. 2026

Something has to happen by or before that event date or deadline, or else there will be consequences for the main characters and/or others. — Literary Hub, 9 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1864, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing deadline

• on deadline
• under deadline

Rhymes for deadline

• affine
• airline
• align
• aline
• assign
• baseline
• beamline
• benign
• bloodline
• bovine
• brucine
• byline

Kids Definition

deadline

noun

dead·​line ˈded-ˌlīn 

: a date or time before which something must be done