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
All those found dead are believed to be from one family, Sparks said. — Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 24 July 2026 First responders attempted to resuscitate Buitimea, but he was pronounced dead at the scene. — Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 24 July 2026
Adverb
Who knew a seventh-round draft pick — dead last overall — would become this franchise’s savior at quarterback? — Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 9 July 2026 About a dozen discovered so far have been dead quiet in radio waves, and astronomers call these quiet neutron stars 'central compact objects', or CCOs. — Keith Cooper, Space.com, 6 July 2026
Noun
His remains showed clear signs of cannibalism, confirming early Inuit reports of desperate crew members resorting to eating their dead. — ArsTechnica, 8 May 2026 Once the fog of chaos lifted, the police and the protesters both gathered their dead. — Michael Peregrine, Chicago Tribune, 4 May 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
  • The majority are retirees, but the Social Security Administration (SSA) also provides regular income to disabled workers, widowed spouses and children of deceased workers.
    — Brian Sloan, CNBC, 21 July 2026
  • The face of deceased founder Maurice White looms in the background.
    — DeAsia Paige, AJC.com, 20 July 2026
Definition of deceased
Adjective
  • General Daily Insight for July 26, 2026 A slower pace could reveal what pressure has been hiding.
    — Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 26 July 2026
  • With a boat launch, any size motors are invited, but must be operated at a slow no-wake speed, according to the park website.
    — Zuri Primos July 26, Kansas City Star, 26 July 2026
Definition of slow
Adjective
  • Pick up a s’mores kit from reception, claim one of the firepits, and watch your fellow Cape-goers drift back from the beach with sandy feet and tired kids.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 July 2026
  • In an age of endless subscriptions and price hikes, people are sick and tired of paying for access to products rather than owning them.
    — Bee Wertheimer, PC Magazine, 24 July 2026
Definition of tired
Adjective
  • Of course, Khan knows that a yacht like Kismet will always represent the absolute apex of the luxury pyramid.
    — Bill Springer, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026
  • After all, its absolute sales are by any measure minuscule, meaning whoever closes the gap first could easily surge ahead.
    — Charlie Campbell, Time, 23 July 2026
Definition of absolute
Adjective
  • Spector is clearly concerned with the pernicious consequences of technology, its ability to numb emotions and steer people into ideological cul-de-sacs.
    — Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 9 July 2026
  • Relationships often suffer as people withdraw or feel emotionally numb.
    — Sara Moniuszko, USA Today, 30 June 2026
Definition of numb
Adjective
  • Inside the 400,000-year-old extinct volcanic cinder cone, which is about 40 miles northeast of Flagstaff, are artwork and a naked-eye observatory with tunnels and chambers aligned with solar, lunar and stellar events.
    — Rebecca 'Becca' Dyer, AZCentral.com, 23 July 2026
  • And people here once spoke now extinct Norn, an Old Norse language.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 July 2026
Definition of extinct
Adjective
  • After this sale, the market for an NFL team could be dormant for a while.
    — Nicki Jhabvala, New York Times, 22 July 2026
  • The Cinerama Dome in Hollywood is finally set to reopen after six years of lying dormant since the COVID-19 pandemic.
    — Brian Welk, IndieWire, 22 July 2026
Definition of dormant
Adjective
  • Now, the community is about to enter what could be the final chapter in the criminal cases stemming from the state’s deadliest school shooting.
    — Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 27 July 2026
  • The deadliest animal to have ever roamed the earth is not the great white shark, or snakes, or even rats that caused three great plagues in history, decimating the human population at the time.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 26 July 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 29 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of dead for Spanish Speakers

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