dead space

noun

: the portion of the respiratory system which is external to the bronchioles and through which air must pass to reach the bronchioles and alveoli

Examples of dead space in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Meanwhile, the outdoor plaza, itself — elevated from the street some 30 feet at its south end, like a concrete mesa or pillbox — had essentially become a city block of dead space, each year hosting one giant event, the KC Fiesta Hispana, but little else. —Eric Adler, Kansas City Star, 21 Aug. 2025

After Tuttle restructured his contract during the offseason, cutting him would create $2.4 million in cap space with $3.3 million in dead space, according to Over the Cap. —Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2025

The song also provided something to fill dead space if Perry’s mic went out during shows or when the crew needed time to fix malfunctioning equipment. —Aaron Gilbreath, SPIN, 31 Dec. 2024

Yes, but: Smithson said two feet of dead space in the ceiling should lessen noise and promised to point speakers down, away from apartments. —Jason Clayworth, Axios, 22 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1923, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for dead space

• abase
• airspace
• apace
• backspace
• biface
• birthplace
• blackface
• boldface
• bookcase
• braincase
• briefcase
• carcase

Medical Definition

dead space

noun

1

: space in the respiratory system in which air does not undergo significant gaseous exchange see anatomical dead space, physiological dead space

2

: a space (as that in the chest following excision of a lung) left in the body as the result of a surgical procedure