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
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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
-
As Election Day nears, billionaires have poured millions into super PACs supporting Cuomo and opposing Mamdani, similar to a doomed effort by the city’s wealthiest in the Democratic primary.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
21 Oct. 2025
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Politically, the affluence manifested in Long Island establishing itself as a bastion of the Republican Party, showing strong support for Hoover in his doomed Presidential campaign against Roosevelt.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
18 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Howitt and Aghion followed up with a theory on how creative destruction allows one technological advance to give way to another, so what's a breakthrough in one generation is obsolete by the next.—
Scott Horsley,
NPR,
13 Oct. 2025
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Far from being obsolete, language degrees are the very foundation for preparing graduates to use, guide and improve these technologies.—
Annie K. Lamar,
Mercury News,
11 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Another set piece involving a malfunctioning chair lift is excruciatingly tense.—
Emily Palmer Heller,
Vulture,
5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
An archaic Kentucky law had been brought out of hiding in 1920 when Will Lockett, a Black man, was convicted and sentenced to die for raping a nine-year-old white girl from Lexington.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
16 Oct. 2025
-
Perhaps, the time has come to go beyond archaic political loyalties and engage issues on the basis of evidence, merit, and truth, not short-term political expediency.—
Khaleda Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Snag it with a down or polyester fill, which is suitable for those with allergies.—
Jacqueline Tempera,
PEOPLE,
20 Oct. 2025
-
Coming off a down season, Scherzer could find some more success after getting into the Brewers organization.—
Aaliyan Mohammed,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
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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Spirit Halloween won't be moving back into the defunct Towne Mall.—
Victoria Moorwood,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
23 Oct. 2025
-
New Jersey's infamous Staub was most famously arrested with six kilos of cocaine and $16,000 in cash, according to court documents obtained by the now-defunct Gawker.—
Diane J. Cho,
PEOPLE,
22 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 24 Oct. 2025.
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