deadline

noun

dead·​line ˈded-ˌlīn 

1

: a line drawn within or around a prison that a prisoner passes at the risk of being shot

2

a

: a date or time before which something must be done

b

: the time after which copy is not accepted for a particular issue of a publication

see also:

on deadline

Examples of deadline in a Sentence

She worked on her composition right up until the deadline.

We had to hurry to meet the deadline.

The project was completed a week past its deadline.

The deadline for submitting college applications is April 19th.

They're working under a deadline.

Recent Examples on the Web

The suit was filed ahead of an October deadline to finish the project or risk lenders’ demand for repayment from LINXS, according to the complaint. — Los Angeles Times, 15 July 2026

Last week Haiti’s Provisional Electoral Council issued a list of the political parties approved to participate in the vote and announced deadlines for party accreditation and voter registration. — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 15 July 2026

Stop deferring the Food Traceability Rule — 2028 is a choice, not a deadline, and Congress already ratified an earlier one. — Katrine Wallace, STAT, 15 July 2026

The deadline to be excluded from the settlement was June 26, 2026. — Brian Sloan,dan Avery, CNBC, 15 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1864, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing deadline

• on deadline
• under deadline

Rhymes for deadline

• affine
• airline
• align
• aline
• assign
• baseline
• beamline
• benign
• bloodline
• bovine
• brucine
• byline

Kids Definition

deadline

noun

dead·​line ˈded-ˌlīn 

: a date or time before which something must be done