variants
also kaputt
1
as in doomed
facing certain defeat, disaster, or death
once the Germans were forced to retreat from Stalingrad, the Nazi cause was kaput
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in obsolete
having passed its time of use or usefulness
hard-line Soviet-style Communism became kaput in Russia
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in malfunctioning
not being in working order
the heating system went kaput on the coldest day of the year
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of kaput
Gunn tells Deadline, that The Authority is not kaput.
—
Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 27 Sep. 2025
Kelly Reilly, who plays Beth Dutton, seems adamant that the OG Yellowstone is kaput.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 15 Dec. 2024
Now all three of those competitors are kaput, felled by runs on deposits during the biggest banking crisis in a decade and a half.
—Rob Copeland, New York Times, 14 June 2023
The Stooges are now functionally kaput—of the original lineup, only Pop is left.
—Amanda Petrusich, The New Yorker, 26 Aug. 2019
At least not on Sunday afternoon, nearly a full two days after the Clippers were supposed to be done, finished, as kaput as the Kings – those in Sacramento and Los Angeles.
—Jeff Miller, Orange County Register, 29 Apr. 2017
The damages for that less-than-brilliant marketing idea could be as much as $120 million, meaning the company as a whole is pretty much financially kaput.
—Susan Arendt, WIRED, 14 Mar. 2007
Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 27 Sep. 2025
Kelly Reilly, who plays Beth Dutton, seems adamant that the OG Yellowstone is kaput.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 15 Dec. 2024
Now all three of those competitors are kaput, felled by runs on deposits during the biggest banking crisis in a decade and a half.
—Rob Copeland, New York Times, 14 June 2023
The Stooges are now functionally kaput—of the original lineup, only Pop is left.
—Amanda Petrusich, The New Yorker, 26 Aug. 2019
At least not on Sunday afternoon, nearly a full two days after the Clippers were supposed to be done, finished, as kaput as the Kings – those in Sacramento and Los Angeles.
—Jeff Miller, Orange County Register, 29 Apr. 2017
The damages for that less-than-brilliant marketing idea could be as much as $120 million, meaning the company as a whole is pretty much financially kaput.
—Susan Arendt, WIRED, 14 Mar. 2007
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kaput
Adjective
-
Though the looms were in use by the doomed mill for a brief period, RJ Brot, a partner at Exarcha Group, told SJ Denim that Vidalia did not have ownership of the machinery.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
7 Oct. 2025
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Fans of the original series know that Diane is a future ex-wife of Gibbs, meaning that season 2 could very well reveal the origins of their (ultimately doomed) love story.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Skrmetti's office did not respond to questions about what law change or court decision rendered the opinion obsolete.—
Vivian Jones,
Nashville Tennessean,
9 Oct. 2025
-
From tracking to orchestrating Benko argued that traditional supply chain management models—often built around linear, point-to-point connections—are quickly becoming obsolete.—
Glenn Taylor,
Sourcing Journal,
8 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Another set piece involving a malfunctioning chair lift is excruciatingly tense.—
Emily Palmer Heller,
Vulture,
5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
As gaming becomes a more mainstream activity, however, these stereotypes grow more archaic, and a new study from the Entertainment Software Association suggests that the universal image of a gamer as a lonely young male is not just outdated, but inaccurate.—
Andrew McGowan,
Variety,
8 Oct. 2025
-
In the early nineties, the halcyon days of mountain biking, a cadre of American cyclists competed all over the world on these glorious if archaic machines.—
Frederick Dreier,
Outside,
6 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Becky Cameron 7-Piece Bedding Bundle This bedding bundle is great for people with allergies, thanks to its down-alternative fill that provides warmth without irritation.—
Jacqueline Tempera,
PEOPLE,
8 Oct. 2025
-
The Red Sox have the benefit of playing in a down era of American League talent where the path to the World Series seemed wide open for the third consecutive year.—
Tim Crowley,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Owner Jason Boso fixed that, infusing $2 million into the 10-year-old bar on better bathrooms, a covered section of the patio and a re-done kitchen.—
Sarah Blaskovich,
Dallas News,
3 Apr. 2023
Adjective
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The aviation themes of Air Afrique, which is named after the defunct Pan-African airline, are emphasized through Morse code on the outsole and a jacquard insole patterned after the seats on Air Afrique aircrafts.—
Riley Jones,
Footwear News,
8 Oct. 2025
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The ability to remove a defunct rocket stage or satellite from orbit could also be used to target an adversary’s spacecraft.—
Andrew Jones,
Space.com,
7 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Of those who reported incidents, none saw a low voltage battery warning before the exterior door handles became inoperative.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
17 Sep. 2025
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But the speed came from all three levels of Green Bay’s defense, rendering Washington’s offense almost inoperative.—
Nicki Jhabvala,
New York Times,
15 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Kaput.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kaput. Accessed 14 Oct. 2025.
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