SINCE 1828
dead-alive
adjective
\ ¦dedᵊl¦īv, -edə¦līv\
variants:
or less commonly dead-and-alive \ ¦dedᵊnə¦līv \
Definition of dead-alive
: alive but as if dead : dull, spiritless
Comments on dead-alive
What made you want to look up dead-alive? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Test Your Vocabulary
Time Traveler Quiz: Which Word Came First?
-
- Which came first?
Test your knowledge - and maybe learn something along the way.
TAKE THE QUIZ
Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.
TAKE THE QUIZLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Words at Play
Ask the Editors
Word Games
-
Time Traveler Quiz: Which Word Came First?
Which word entered the English language first?
Take the quiz -
Slippery Words Quiz—Changing with the Times
Do you know these earlier meanings of words?
Take the quiz -
True or False?
Test your knowledge - and maybe learn something along the way.
Take the quiz -
Word Winder's CrossWinder
Play the game
Share dead-alive
Resources for dead-alive