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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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Russian authorities reported one dead and 21 wounded in Ukrainian long-range strikes. — Hanna Arhirova, Arkansas Online, 26 Sep. 2026 Christapher Butler as being approximately 15 years old, was found dead from a gunshot wound. — Caroline Silva, AJC.com, 26 Sep. 2026
Adverb
Ranked dead last in activities and in the bottom third for affordablity, quality of life and healthcare. — Medora Lee, USA Today, 31 Aug. 2026 Colorado is projected to finish near the bottom of the league once again, according to a media poll put on by The Tulsa World newspaper and the recruiting rankings have the Buffs dead-last in the league in recruiting classes. — Matt Murschel, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 Aug. 2026
Noun
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 In many cases, our dead are barreling headlong into the void without any kind of ceremony at all. — John Semley, Harpers Magazine, 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
  • Historical Artist of the Year Honoring a deceased artist who is the subject of a major museum survey that offers a new lens with which to examine their work.
    — Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 29 Sep. 2026
  • In the same month Netflix released Train Dreams, the film version of Denis Johnson’s revered short novel about a logger whose deceased baby daughter visits him in the form of a wolf.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of deceased
Adjective
  • The slowest can count roughly 500 bills a minute, or about eight bills a second, while the fastest can count 2,000-plus bills a minute, or about 33-plus bills a second.
    — BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Heading south on Highway 395, a must do is slow down and take the June Lake Loop which is a riot of fall colors.
    — Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of slow
Adjective
  • For serious gear collectors tired of pocket clutter and dark backpack voids, this clever mobile workstation is a genuinely smart, highly functional evolution.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Common symptoms of sleep apnea include loud snoring, gasping for air during the night, and waking up feeling tired.
    — Lindsay Curtis, HEALTH, 27 Sep. 2026
Definition of tired
Adjective
  • Since no single party is expected to obtain an absolute majority, the winner will need to negotiate with others to form a governing coalition.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 24 Sep. 2026
  • For context, my son is an absolute car enthusiast, but the mom and her son at soccer practice were not.
    — Joel Feder, The Drive, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of absolute
Adjective
  • After nine relocations, baseball fanbases became numb to abandonment, but by 1971, Washington fans who were losing their second franchise in 11 years, had enough.
    — Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 23 Sep. 2026
  • At one point in the swim, her hand went directly into a compass jellyfish, leaving it numb for a while.
    — Rachel Roberts, Idaho Statesman, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of numb
Adjective
  • El Adli said the fossils likely belonged to an animal from one of two extinct mammal families that roamed North America during the Uintan North American Land Mammal Age.
    — Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 24 Sep. 2026
  • And none of the scientists could match his distinct nose to anything alive or extinct.
    — Niranjana Rajalakshmi, Popular Science, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of extinct
Adjective
  • Meanwhile, the current owner of the inn took her children to the farmers market in the square across from the dormant building every Saturday throughout their childhoods.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Sep. 2026
  • Apply a summer-weight dormant oil to your pachysandra during the crawler stages for more control.
    — Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of dormant
Adjective
  • For this argument Thomasine was jailed—stuffed into a damp, stinking, deadly stone cell crawling with rats and lice—to force her to change her beliefs.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Bands of heavy rain have been moving onshore from Delaware up to Massachusetts on Sunday amid a nor'easter that has turned deadly.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 27 Sep. 2026
Definition of deadly

Phrases Containing dead

Browse Nearby Words

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 1 Oct. 2026.

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