strike (someone) dead
idiom
: to kill (someone) in a quick and unexpected way
A bolt of lightning struck him dead.
Examples of strike (someone) dead in a Sentence
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Thomas Sheehan, cathedral organist and its associate director of music, skittered his fingers across the keys Thursday to show why the machine needs work: Not all of its trumpets trumpet, and plenty of keys strike dead notes.
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Fredrick Kunkle, Washington Post, 25 Sep. 2022
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Fredrick Kunkle, Washington Post, 25 Sep. 2022
Cite this Entry
“Strike (someone) dead.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/strike%20%28someone%29%20dead. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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