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
ArsTechnica, 6 June 2026
In March, four members of one Palestinian family, including two boys aged 5 and 7, who were out on a late-night drive after breaking the daily Ramadan fast, were shot dead by Israeli soldiers in the West Bank, Palestinian officials reported.
—Eyad Kourdi, CNN Money, 6 June 2026
Ellen Cushing, The Atlantic, 25 May 2026
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
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
And unlike Ötzi’s long-dead gut bacteria, which left just broken, aging fragments of DNA behind, the yeasts seem to be alive and reproducing (albeit at, ahem, a glacial pace).
—ArsTechnica, 6 June 2026
In March, four members of one Palestinian family, including two boys aged 5 and 7, who were out on a late-night drive after breaking the daily Ramadan fast, were shot dead by Israeli soldiers in the West Bank, Palestinian officials reported.
—Eyad Kourdi, CNN Money, 6 June 2026
Adverb
Magnussen, whose giant neck had been appearing all over Enhanced’s ads, finished dead last in both of his races.
—Ellen Cushing, The Atlantic, 25 May 2026
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
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
-
If tired, float or tread water until out of the rip current.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
5 June 2026
-
The Ukrainian president also said the majority of Russians had grown tired of missile and drone attacks, inflation and fuel shortages, and were ready for peace.—
Francesca Chambers,
USA Today,
4 June 2026
Adjective
-
The internet seemed to think so as well, as fans on X had an absolute field day with the videos coming out of the Volunteer State this weekend.—
Austin Perry OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
6 June 2026
-
Long options or debit spreads are, at least in absolute terms, fairly priced.—
Michael Khouw,
CNBC,
5 June 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
-
Like Temminck’s pangolin or coequal branches of government, retirement is in danger of going extinct.—
Joshua Rivera,
Vanity Fair,
8 June 2026
-
Sea stars almost went extinct along the West Coast a decade ago.—
Casey Parks,
Washington Post,
6 June 2026
Adjective
-
The police had let the case lie dormant.—
Heidi Blake,
New Yorker,
8 June 2026
-
The fungi’s natural resistance to cold kept them dormant but still alive and capable of reviving, even after thousands of years, according to research published last week in the journal Microbiome.—
Mindy Weisberger,
CNN Money,
8 June 2026
Adjective
-
Japan has long been battling a growing bear problem with deadly attacks reached record levels last fall.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
9 June 2026
-
Prosecutors contend the evidence shows Anthony escalated a verbal dispute into a deadly encounter.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
9 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dead.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dead. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
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