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

With a 60-vote threshold in the Senate and no support from Democrats, any effort to continue them will almost certainly be dead on arrival. — Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 23 Feb. 2026

Without support from Democrats, and wariness from some key Republicans, the legislation was dead on arrival. — Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 8 Feb. 2026

Could County Commissioner Jason Lowe's proposal of a controversial county sales tax to finish and operate the new Oklahoma County jail be dead on arrival? — Richard Mize, Oklahoman, 20 Jan. 2026

And there is a reason Platner’s message has not been dead on arrival. — Nicholas Jacobs, The Conversation, 13 Nov. 2025

Rhymes for dead on arrival

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