dead on arrival
idiom
: having died before getting to a hospital, emergency room, etc.
The victim was dead on arrival at the hospital.
—often used figurativelySome are saying that any new tax proposal would be dead on arrival.
Examples of dead on arrival in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
This was an idea that was first floated in 2019 but proved dead on arrival.
—
Andrew Leahey, Forbes.com, 22 June 2025
Failure to acquire the additional capacity would mean HSBC’s return-to-office mandate could be dead on arrival, with thousands of staff unable to find desk space at the bank’s buildings.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 23 June 2025
Another influx of 184 wounded arrived at the Red Cross field hospital June 3, the ICRC said in a statement; 19 were declared dead on arrival, and eight more died of their wounds not long afterwards.
—Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA Today, 5 June 2025
The Republicans’ votes were largely symbolic, given that the measure is dead on arrival in the GOP-majority House of Representatives.
—Dan Mangan,kevin Breuninger,jesse Pound,christina Wilkie,megan Cassella,erin Doherty, CNBC, 2 Apr. 2025
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Andrew Leahey, Forbes.com, 22 June 2025
Failure to acquire the additional capacity would mean HSBC’s return-to-office mandate could be dead on arrival, with thousands of staff unable to find desk space at the bank’s buildings.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 23 June 2025
Another influx of 184 wounded arrived at the Red Cross field hospital June 3, the ICRC said in a statement; 19 were declared dead on arrival, and eight more died of their wounds not long afterwards.
—Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA Today, 5 June 2025
The Republicans’ votes were largely symbolic, given that the measure is dead on arrival in the GOP-majority House of Representatives.
—Dan Mangan,kevin Breuninger,jesse Pound,christina Wilkie,megan Cassella,erin Doherty, CNBC, 2 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dead on arrival
Cite this Entry
“Dead on arrival.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dead%20on%20arrival. Accessed 15 Jul. 2025.
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