dead 1 of 3

adjective

ˈded How to pronounce dead (audio)
Definition of deadnext
1
as in deceased
no longer living I inherited this heirloom from my dead great-grandfather

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2
as in slow
lacking in gaiety, movement, or animation the store is often dead after 4:00 p.m.

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3
as in tired
depleted in strength, energy, or freshness a long day of traveling left them just dead

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4
as in absolute
having no exceptions or restrictions there was a dead silence following that incredibly moving performance

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5
as in numb
lacking in sensation or feeling my foot was dead after I absentmindedly sat on it for an hour

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6
as in extinct
no longer existing the dead Babylonian culture

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7
as in dormant
not being in a state of use, activity, or employment local coal mines that have been dead for years

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8
as in deadly
of, relating to, or suggestive of death fell into a dead faint upon hearing the news

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9
as in doomed
facing certain defeat, disaster, or death if we don't finish this project on time, we're dead

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10
as in bland
lacking in taste or flavor from the first sip I could tell that the wine hadn't aged well and was pretty much dead

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11
as in barren
producing inferior or only a small amount of vegetation the dead wastes of the far country to the west

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dead

2 of 3

adverb

1
as in straight
in a direct line or course the finish line is dead ahead

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2
as in completely
to a full extent or degree I'm dead certain that's the one I want

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dead

3 of 3

noun

as in death
the state of being dead it's impossible to raise someone from the dead

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Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective dead contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of dead are deceased, defunct, departed, and late. While all these words mean "devoid of life," dead applies literally to what is deprived of vital force but is used figuratively of anything that has lost any attribute (such as energy, activity, radiance) suggesting life.

a dead, listless performance

How does the word deceased relate to other synonyms for dead?

Deceased, departed, and late apply to persons who have died recently. Deceased is the preferred term in legal use.

the estate of the deceased

When is it sensible to use defunct instead of dead?

The words defunct and dead are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, defunct stresses cessation of active existence or operation.

a defunct television series

Where would departed be a reasonable alternative to dead?

The synonyms departed and dead are sometimes interchangeable, but departed is used usually as a euphemism.

our departed sister

When might late be a better fit than dead?

Although the words late and dead have much in common, late is used especially with reference to a person in a specific relation or status.

the company's late president

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of dead
Adjective
The overnight incidents took place roughly six months after a pair of overnight shootings within a block of each other in Deep Ellum left a 26-year-old security officer dead and five others injured, according to CNN affiliate KTVT. — Isa Mudannayake, CNN Money, 1 Nov. 2026 But here Judd, like Alexander himself, was swimming dead against the increasingly glamorous current of high architecture. — Julian Rose, Artforum, 1 Nov. 2026
Adverb
The Horned Frogs rank dead last in the Big 12 in rushing offense, 15th in sacks allowed, and their quarterback looks like a player who is losing confidence. — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Oct. 2026 Robinhood, which launched its bookrunning business in June, is among 18 banks working on smart-ring maker Oura’s IPO (dead last, but there). — Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 8 Sep. 2026
Noun
Fire crews soon pronounced the driver of the Ram dead at the scene. — Cecilio Padilla, CBS News, 31 July 2026 As family secrets and wounds, resurface the entire neighborhood senses presences and hear the distinctive sounds of their own dead. — John Hopewell, Variety, 28 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for dead
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dead
  1. deceased
  2. slow
  3. tired
  4. absolute
  5. numb
  6. extinct
  7. dormant
  8. deadly
Adjective
  • Rodriguez cut ads accusing Salazar of being cozy with deceased dictator Fidel Castro.
    — Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Beatification is a complex and profound act in the Roman Catholic Church that grants special distinction for deceased members of the faith.
    — AJ Willingham, AJC.com, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of deceased
Adjective
  • The course of Alzheimer’s disease is slightly slower than that of Lewy body dementia, according to Vossel.
    — Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2026
  • The team found that slower charging helped create more uniform, inorganic-rich protective layers, which are important for maintaining stable battery performance.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of slow
Adjective
  • On Housewives, story lines grow tired and repetitive, and attempts to shake up the dynamics inevitably fall flat as the show reverts back to a familiar staleness.
    — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Even Trump’s biggest supporters are growing tired of the high prices that his war has caused.
    — Daniel W. Drezner, Foreign Affairs, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of tired
Adjective
  • Add in the inconsistency of Green Bay’s rookie kicker, Trey Smack, and the points look like an absolute bargain.
    — Hank Gola, New York Daily News, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Peter Berg previews upcoming 'Call of Duty' movie The absolute last thing anyone wants to see from Berg and Sheridan is a war movie that is anything less than gritty and excellent.
    — David Hookstead OutKick, FOXNews.com, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of absolute
Adjective
  • To live in truth here, now, today is to resist the forces that would like nothing more than to isolate, numb, and commodify us.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Halfway through my hands and feet went numb, then felt like fire, and then contorted into strange positions like lobster claws.
    — Kate Berlant, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of numb
Adjective
  • Her company Arcaea has raised $78 million and previously created the fragrance brand Future Society, which makes scents by sequencing the DNA of extinct flowers.
    — Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 28 Oct. 2026
  • The company has pursued efforts to recreate extinct species, including the dodo and woolly mammoth.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of extinct
Adjective
  • In January, Sorrells created a cold case task force that is using advances in DNA technology to try to identify suspects in dormant homicide investigations.
    — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Ryan Gosling is reviving one of his long-dormant side gigs just in time for Halloween.
    — Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of dormant
Adjective
  • Seminci unveiled its winners Saturday morning in Valladolid after organizers canceled the traditional closing gala following a deadly train accident in Toledo province.
    — Emiliano de Pablos, Variety, 1 Nov. 2026
  • Elsewhere, deadly attacks continued and Ukraine's central bank warned that damage to industrial targets could push the country into a recession.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of deadly

Phrases Containing dead

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deactivating
dead
deadbeat
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Cite this Entry

“Dead.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dead. Accessed 5 Nov. 2026.

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