1
as in deceased
no longer living
I inherited this heirloom from my dead great-grandfather
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in slow
lacking in gaiety, movement, or animation
the store is often dead after 4:00 p.m.
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in tired
depleted in strength, energy, or freshness
a long day of traveling left them just dead
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in absolute
having no exceptions or restrictions
there was a dead silence following that incredibly moving performance
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in numb
lacking in sensation or feeling
my foot was dead after I absentmindedly sat on it for an hour
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in extinct
no longer existing
the dead Babylonian culture
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
as in dormant
not being in a state of use, activity, or employment
local coal mines that have been dead for years
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
8
as in deadly
of, relating to, or suggestive of death
fell into a dead faint upon hearing the news
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
9
10
as in bland
lacking in taste or flavor
from the first sip I could tell that the wine hadn't aged well and was pretty much dead
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
11
as in barren
producing inferior or only a small amount of vegetation
the dead wastes of the far country to the west
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in straight
in a direct line or course
the finish line is dead ahead
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in completely
to a full extent or degree
I'm dead certain that's the one I want
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in death
the state of being dead
it's impossible to raise someone from the dead
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of dead
Brendan Morrow, USA Today, 9 Nov. 2025
Perilous Voyages More than 5,100 Rohingya have taken boats to leave Myanmar and Bangladesh between January and early November this year, with nearly 600 people reported dead or missing, according to data from the UN Refugee Agency.
—Reuters, CNN Money, 9 Nov. 2025
Miami Herald, 27 Oct. 2025
At the time, Kelly said, businesses refused to sell to a woman, but Mary was dead-set on doing it herself.
—Hannah Elsmore, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Oct. 2025
Ashley J. Dimella, FOXNews.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Boynton Beach Fire Rescue pronounced Civitano dead at the scene.
—Angie Dimichele, Sun Sentinel, 18 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dead
Adjective
Maybe next week, a bald eagle will fall dead out of the sky and splat right on the White House lawn.
—Brendan Morrow, USA Today, 9 Nov. 2025
Perilous Voyages More than 5,100 Rohingya have taken boats to leave Myanmar and Bangladesh between January and early November this year, with nearly 600 people reported dead or missing, according to data from the UN Refugee Agency.
—Reuters, CNN Money, 9 Nov. 2025
Adverb
In fact, the Dolphins came into Sunday ranked dead last in run defense, allowing nearly 160 rushing yards per game.
—Miami Herald, 27 Oct. 2025
At the time, Kelly said, businesses refused to sell to a woman, but Mary was dead-set on doing it herself.
—Hannah Elsmore, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Oct. 2025
Noun
It was built to honor the Confederate dead of Chowan County.
—Ashley J. Dimella, FOXNews.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Boynton Beach Fire Rescue pronounced Civitano dead at the scene.
—Angie Dimichele, Sun Sentinel, 18 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dead
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dead
Adjective
-
Weaver plays Grandma Helen, the matriarch of the family and mother of Gavin and Abbi’s deceased father, who was an obsessive hoarder.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
11 Nov. 2025
-
If one of my buddies is poisoned, and your dog eats the newly deceased, your Champ won’t be a champ for long.—
Clarence Schmidt,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
11 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Hoover finished 319 yards on 34-of-50 passing, but his two turnovers were critical mistakes that led to TCU’s slow start in the first half.—
Steven Johnson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
9 Nov. 2025
-
When visiting the exhibit, plan on taking your time to make the most of it, or what the American Federation of Arts calls slow looking.—
Susan B. Barnes,
Southern Living,
9 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
The first turned a fourth-quarter fumble into a 59-yard score when Achane burst through a tired, and seemingly defeated Buffalo defensive front and outsprinted the Bills’ entire secondary to the end zone.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
9 Nov. 2025
-
But that feels like a tired, outdated characterisation.—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
8 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
And many of us, sadly, have been in a state of absolute despair while grieving someone, which is its own type of temporary insanity.—
Brian Davids,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Bad news for Harbour—each track is an absolute earworm.—
Hilton Als,
New Yorker,
7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
For one, Chicago is getting numb to seeing its erstwhile heroes in another city’s colors by now.—
Mark Lazerus,
New York Times,
31 Oct. 2025
-
Fans are numb to these sorts of stories.—
Mac Engel
October 23,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
23 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Unfortunately, the cushaw, a delicate squash found in the Southern and Southwestern parts of the country, is at risk of going extinct.—
Mary Shannon Wells,
Southern Living,
2 Nov. 2025
-
What other extinct species are on your list to revive in the future?—
Carly Thomas,
HollywoodReporter,
31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
In the garden, renewal reigns—from dormant perennials emerging in spring to shrubs bouncing back from a severe pruning, nature refreshes itself.—
Megan Hughes,
Better Homes & Gardens,
8 Nov. 2025
-
Pruning is usually done at specific times of the year, typically while a plant is dormant, before new growth emerges in spring, or once the blooming cycle of a plant is done for the season.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
The section of the Guadalupe River where the camp is located has long been prone to deadly flash flooding.—
Shambhavi Rimal,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
12 Nov. 2025
-
The deadliest assault on a school occurred in 2014 when Taliban gunmen killed 154 people, mostly children, at an army-run school in Peshawar.—
NPR,
NPR,
11 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dead.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dead. Accessed 15 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share