dead on arrival

phrase

: having died before getting to a hospital, emergency room, etc.

The victim was dead on arrival at the hospital.

—often used figuratively

The bill was dead on arrival in the Senate.

Examples of dead on arrival in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Between July 20 and 26, some 18,600 people across Japan were hospitalized for heatstroke, with 45 of them pronounced dead on arrival, the country’s Fire and Disaster Management Agency said. — Frank Landymore, Futurism, 5 Aug. 2026

Tama Zoological Park Close to 18,600 people were taken to hospitals for heatstroke between July 20 and 26, with 45 of them pronounced dead on arrival, according to the fire and disaster management agency. — CBS News, 4 Aug. 2026

So many TikTok recipes are more performance than payoff—all jazz hands on my phone, but dead on arrival in my kitchen. — Maggie Meyer Glisan, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Aug. 2026

But the execution was dead on arrival, with the whole thing falling flat on its face. — Austin Perry Outkick, FOXNews.com, 1 Aug. 2026

Rhymes for dead on arrival

• subconjunctival
• archival
• revival
• survival
• conjunctival
• rival