deadhead

1 of 2

noun

dead·​head ˈded-ˌhed How to pronounce deadhead (audio)
1
: one who has not paid for a ticket
2
: a dull or stupid person
3
: a partially submerged log
4
Deadhead : a devoted fan of the rock group the Grateful Dead
The bond between the [Grateful] Dead and the Deadheads was extraordinary.Bill Barich
5
gardening : a faded blossom on a flowering plant
Pansies are still available for late spring bloom. Keep deadheads off.Edith Henderson

deadhead

2 of 2

verb

deadheaded; deadheading; deadheads

intransitive verb

1
: to make especially a return trip without a load
2
: to deadhead a plant

transitive verb

: to remove the faded flowers of (a plant) especially to keep a neat appearance and to promote reblooming by preventing seed production

Examples of deadhead in a Sentence

Noun people knew that he was a deadhead and voted for him anyway Verb She's out in the garden deadheading the rosebushes.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The group’s devoted fans, the ever-present Deadheads, filed into Oracle Park to pay their respects. Christopher Parker, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 July 2023 Beetles, buses and Deadheads:How VW became a cultural icon in the US over 75 years Other recent vehicle recalls Ford has issued two recalls of more than 150,000 vehicles in total, the latest safety notices issued by the carmaker this month. Gabe Hauari, USA TODAY, 23 Feb. 2024 Plant them in full sun and deadhead spent flowers to encourage more blooms. Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 14 Feb. 2024 Of course, Deadheads — the longtime followers of the Grateful Dead and its many offshoots like Dead & Co. — basically invented the concept of traveling to other cities to see rock shows. Jim Harrington, The Mercury News, 31 Jan. 2024 Well, for one, the sound quality is a vast improvement over the bootlegs Deadheads already know, plus elegant, colorful packaging adds additional appeal. Saby Reyes-Kulkarni, SPIN, 20 Dec. 2023 And like the Dead, whose legions of fanatical followers proudly call themselves Deadheads, Buffett boasts his own cult -- the Parrotheads, a high-flying group that regards his cheery brand of tropical rock as something of a musical holy grail. George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Sep. 2023 Every summer since 2016 – save for the pandemic years – the population of the town practically doubles due to Deadheads. Jeff Weiss, Spin, 21 Aug. 2023 Weed if necessary, apply generous mulch if needed, and deadhead spent flowers. Deanna Kizis, Sunset Magazine, 25 May 2023
Verb
No need to deadhead the blooms. Terri Robertson, Country Living, 21 June 2022 So, don’t be too tidy and quick to deadhead. Janet Carson, Arkansas Online, 12 Apr. 2021 Also, there is no need to deadhead these. Norman Winter, Houston Chronicle, 18 June 2020 Olga showed the girls how to deadhead roses and immediately delved into their lives. Los Angeles Times, 14 Dec. 2022 McGrath generally doesn’t deadhead, letting the plants take their course. Nancy Hass Ngoc Minh Ngo, New York Times, 23 Sep. 2022 Carolyn Forté, executive director of the Good Housekeeping Institute's Home Care and Cleaning Lab, uses these shears to deadhead her rose bushes, hydrangeas and other flowering plants. Alyssa Gautieri, Good Housekeeping, 22 Sep. 2022 The best way to keep a plant blooming is to deadhead the blooms. Joanne Kempinger Demski, Journal Sentinel, 25 Aug. 2022 Another good reason to deadhead is to encourage flowers to rebloom. Susan Brownstein, cleveland, 9 Aug. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'deadhead.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1841, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1911, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of deadhead was in 1841

Dictionary Entries Near deadhead

Cite this Entry

“Deadhead.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deadhead. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!