dead letter
noun
1
: something that has lost its force or authority without being formally abolished
2
: a letter that is undeliverable and unreturnable by the post office
Examples of dead letter in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Trump wants the war to end, but Ukraine will not enjoy lasting peace without guarantees against further Russian aggression, and our allies know that any security guarantee without the U.S. will be a dead letter.
—
Ian Kelly, Chicago Tribune, 21 Feb. 2025
The note makes its way to the desk of Jasper, a seasoned ‘dead letter’ investigator at a 1980s midwestern post office.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 13 Feb. 2025
Today, to our peril, the Monroe Doctrine is becoming a dead letter.
—Steve Forbes, Forbes, 24 Sep. 2024
Among other films to see is Joe DeBoer and Kyle McConaghy’s SXSW title Dead Mail, in which an ominous help note finds its way to a 1980s post office, connecting a dead letter investigator to a kidnapped keyboard technician.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 5 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for dead letter
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Ian Kelly, Chicago Tribune, 21 Feb. 2025
The note makes its way to the desk of Jasper, a seasoned ‘dead letter’ investigator at a 1980s midwestern post office.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 13 Feb. 2025
Today, to our peril, the Monroe Doctrine is becoming a dead letter.
—Steve Forbes, Forbes, 24 Sep. 2024
Among other films to see is Joe DeBoer and Kyle McConaghy’s SXSW title Dead Mail, in which an ominous help note finds its way to a 1980s post office, connecting a dead letter investigator to a kidnapped keyboard technician.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 5 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for dead letter
Cite this Entry
“Dead letter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dead%20letter. Accessed 3 May. 2025.
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