1
as in deceased
no longer living
I inherited this heirloom from my dead great-grandfather
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
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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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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as in death
the state of being dead
it's impossible to raise someone from the dead
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dead
Isaac Butler, New Yorker, 30 May 2026
And of Beck Weathers, who, snow-blind and frostbitten, was twice left for dead but survived against the odds.
—Helen Regan, CNN Money, 30 May 2026
Stephen J. Nesbitt, New York Times, 13 May 2026
After finishing 31st in sacks (26) and dead last in turnover margin last season (four), the Jets need immediate production from Bailey during his rookie campaign.
—Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 9 May 2026
Rosie Conroy, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Mar. 2026
The Platte County Sheriff’s Office has released more details into Sunday’s fiery car crash in rural Platte County that left one Park Hill High School senior dead.
—Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dead
Adjective
The project, Scorsese finally learned over Christmas, 1983, was dead.
—Isaac Butler, New Yorker, 30 May 2026
And of Beck Weathers, who, snow-blind and frostbitten, was twice left for dead but survived against the odds.
—Helen Regan, CNN Money, 30 May 2026
Adverb
Lowe and a resurgent Oneil Cruz share the team lead with 10 homers each, and the Pirates are tied for 13th in homers (44) after finishing dead-last a year ago (117).
—Stephen J. Nesbitt, New York Times, 13 May 2026
After finishing 31st in sacks (26) and dead last in turnover margin last season (four), the Jets need immediate production from Bailey during his rookie campaign.
—Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 9 May 2026
Noun
Legend has it that one funeral was so fueled by whiskey in this sacred spot that the mourners forgot to bury their dead.
—Rosie Conroy, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Mar. 2026
The Platte County Sheriff’s Office has released more details into Sunday’s fiery car crash in rural Platte County that left one Park Hill High School senior dead.
—Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 27 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dead
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dead
Adjective
-
One victim, a 47-year-old man, was pronounced deceased at the scene.—
Mark Price,
Charlotte Observer,
2 June 2026
-
Both are among a group of at least 10 missing or deceased scientists and laboratory staff who worked at sensitive nuclear or space technology labs, law enforcement officials have told CBS News.—
Emily Mae Czachor,
CBS News,
1 June 2026
Adjective
-
Recovery of the bodies has been slow because of the chemicals and other hazards present at the site, Amos explained.—
Adam England,
PEOPLE,
29 May 2026
-
One of the most painful things about this disease is knowing that promising treatments are emerging, but funding barriers and manufacturing and procedural slow-downs continue to derail progress.—
Elise Esposito,
Boston Herald,
29 May 2026
Adjective
-
Second, they are wired to please you in a way that does not turn off, does not get tired and does not second-guess itself.—
Shreyans Mehta,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
-
Michiganders are tired of the games and want strong, bipartisan leadership.—
Sydney Topf,
The Washington Examiner,
28 May 2026
Adjective
-
To get to work with him as an actor is an absolute joy.—
Abbi Jacobson,
IndieWire,
30 May 2026
-
But the majority ruled that our liberties are not absolute.—
Diana Gitig,
ArsTechnica,
30 May 2026
Adjective
-
Feeling numb or unable to experience emotions.—
Julie Kaplow,
USA Today,
30 May 2026
-
Outgunned in Monaco, over-cautious in Lyon, no holding midfielder in the final defeat to Chelsea in 2021 and a Real Madrid remontada the following year which left them numb.—
Jordan Campbell,
New York Times,
25 May 2026
Adjective
-
The shark, likely an extinct mako species related to today’s great white, appears to have targeted the whale’s head, possibly attempting to access the fat-rich tissues used in echolocation.—
Melissa Cristina Márquez,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
-
Eight crested ibises were released into the wild in a north-central Japanese town, decades after the birds went extinct in the country.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
31 May 2026
Adjective
-
The pair pleaded guilty to charges that included siphoning $225,000 from Becerra’s dormant campaign account to pad McCluskie’s salary.—
Ben Paviour,
Sacbee.com,
31 May 2026
-
Where is everyone, and why has Grace gone dormant?—
Keith Langston,
Space.com,
31 May 2026
Adjective
-
Kyiv, Ukraine — Russia launched a large-scale deadly attack on the Ukrainian capital Kyiv early Tuesday, damaging residential buildings, authorities said, as part of a broad offensive on targets across Ukraine.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
2 June 2026
-
High levels of rotavirus, a potentially deadly virus, have been detected in wastewater in the Boise area, testing shows.—
Hali Smith
June 1,
Idaho Statesman,
1 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dead.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dead. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.
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