1
: a line drawn within or around a prison that a prisoner passes at the risk of being shot
2
a
: a date or time before which something must be done
b
: the time after which copy is not accepted for a particular issue of a publication
see also on deadline
Examples of deadline in a Sentence
She worked on her composition right up until the deadline.
We had to hurry to meet the deadline.
The project was completed a week past its deadline.
The deadline for submitting college applications is April 19th.
They're working under a deadline.
Recent Examples on the Web
The affidavit also references auditors who reported vote tallies during a hand count that were inconsistent with the actual number of votes in certain batches, as well as discrepancies in the county’s reported ballot totals around the recount deadline.
—
Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 10 Feb. 2026
In many ways, Spoelstra’s words come off as all too familiar to just over a year ago, when the Heat were mired in a 10-game losing streak after the NBA trade deadline that ultimately led to a 10th-place finish and third consecutive play-in berth.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 10 Feb. 2026
The deadline for Nancy Guthrie’s $6 million ransom reportedly passed without a deposit being made to the cryptocurrency account established by someone claiming to have abducted the 84-year-old mother of NBC News personality Savannah Guthrie.
—Brian Niemietz, Mercury News, 10 Feb. 2026
The comments from the agency, late Monday, came as a second deadline in the ransom notes received by multiple media outlets last week passed.
—Hilary Lewis, HollywoodReporter, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for deadline
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Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 10 Feb. 2026
In many ways, Spoelstra’s words come off as all too familiar to just over a year ago, when the Heat were mired in a 10-game losing streak after the NBA trade deadline that ultimately led to a 10th-place finish and third consecutive play-in berth.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 10 Feb. 2026
The deadline for Nancy Guthrie’s $6 million ransom reportedly passed without a deposit being made to the cryptocurrency account established by someone claiming to have abducted the 84-year-old mother of NBC News personality Savannah Guthrie.
—Brian Niemietz, Mercury News, 10 Feb. 2026
The comments from the agency, late Monday, came as a second deadline in the ransom notes received by multiple media outlets last week passed.
—Hilary Lewis, HollywoodReporter, 10 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for deadline
Cite this Entry
“Deadline.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deadline. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
deadline
noun
dead·line
ˈded-ˌlīn 
: a date or time before which something must be done
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