deadweight

noun

dead·​weight ˈded-ˈwāt 

1

: the unrelieved weight of an inert mass

2

: dead load

3

: a ship's load including the total weight of cargo, fuel, stores, crew, and passengers

Examples of deadweight in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Additionally, the central bank said the total deadweight tonnage of all vessels departing from or arriving at Canadian ports fell from 167 million metric tons in 2016 to 119 million metric tons in 2023, a decline of 28 percent of maritime trade capacity. —Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 21 May 2026

As if moving his muscular deadweight weren’t a task itself for the two girls, there’s a point where Jinx falls onto Margo and pins her underwater in the tub. —Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 13 May 2026

By integrating turbine and ramjet technologies, a concept dating back to the end of World War II, the scientists removed the inactive deadweight and simplified the model. —Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 31 Mar. 2026

The university that once promised to buoy scientific aspirations now feels like a deadweight. —Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 16 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1606, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing deadweight

• deadweight ton

Rhymes for deadweight

• abate
• airfreight
• await
• baseplate
• berate
• birthdate
• birthrate
• bookplate
• borate
• breastplate
• bromate
• casemate

Kids Definition

deadweight

noun

dead·​weight ˈded-ˈwāt 

: the full weight of a mass that is not moving