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
Turner was found dead May 4, 2017, from a gunshot wound inside the bathroom of her home on Buck Trail in Paulding County. — Zachary Bynum, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026 Why Deadheading Will Help Next Year’s Roses Deadheading is the practice of removing dead blooms from your plant to encourage more growth. — Mallory Carra, The Spruce, 14 Aug. 2026
Adverb
The woods were dead silent except for the sound of her huffing and sniffing. — Todd Orr, Outdoor Life, 30 July 2026 That might explain why, now 16 matches into the season, Sporting entered the day dead-last in the Western Conference. — Kansas City Star, 23 July 2026
Noun
The entire neighborhood will sense presences and hear the distinctive sounds of their own dead. — Zac Ntim, Deadline, 28 July 2026 Iran cannot, because the people who made so many thousands of our dead are still the people in charge, still adding to the count. — Mahsa Alimardani, Time, 6 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
  • The bottom line Creditors may ultimately be paid from the value of a deceased person's home in certain circumstances, and an estate may need to sell the property if there aren't enough other assets to satisfy valid claims.
    — Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 18 Aug. 2026
  • The ring features a gradient of pink diamonds going down the band, and both of their deceased parents’ birthstones sit alongside theirs—one on each side.
    — Alexandra Macon, Vogue, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of deceased
Adjective
  • Those include Japan’s massive debt that exceeds 200% of GDP, fiscal stimulus that’s expected to worsen the deficit, and a central bank that’s been slow to raise rates in the face of high inflation.
    — Jason Ma, Fortune, 15 Aug. 2026
  • With two outs, Junior Caminero hit a slow roller on a 1-2 slider that third baseman Encarnacion-Strand could not field cleanly for a run-scoring infield single.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of slow
Adjective
  • The new owners took over the keys to a tired and decaying club in the spring and have since overseen a summer renovation that has stretched from assembling a new first-team squad to restoring hot water to Hillsborough.
    — Philip Buckingham, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Despite all that staying power, glycerin and hyaluronic acid keep the full-coverage formula from feeling dry, while caffeine gives tired undereyes a brightening, de-puffing assist.
    — Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of tired
Adjective
  • The scent wraps rose water, Damascena rose essence and absolute, and centifolia rose in soft, sweet notes of green almond, pink raspberry, and a touch of mauve violet.
    — Jenny Berg, Vogue, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Stewart, having the absolute time of her life, allows the cool persona she’s cultivated across the modern indie scene to give way to an insecure brattiness that’s wonderfully refreshing.
    — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of absolute
Adjective
  • My hand instantly went numb, the wrist and fingers falling limp and useless.
    — Todd Orr, Outdoor Life, 30 July 2026
  • As people around her begin slipping into an emotionally numb trance described as being eclipsed, the boundaries between Bego’s imagination, the digital world and physical reality begin to dissolve.
    — Emiliano de Pablos, Variety, 30 July 2026
Definition of numb
Adjective
  • This history means Yellowstone is considered active rather than extinct.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 12 Aug. 2026
  • According to Mark Dixon, CEO of IWG, the world’s largest workspace provider, commuting could be extinct within the next 15 years.
    — Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of extinct
Adjective
  • Hooping now has become a form of reclamation, an outlet for recovering a childhood joy that sat dormant for years.
    — Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2026
  • The development had gone dormant by the time DeFaria was brought in by his old colleagues to revive the project.
    — David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of dormant
Adjective
  • Many residents on Flores island in East Nusa Tenggara province spent the day mourning victims and waiting for aid to arrive to communities still cut off by the deadly quake.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Reuters — The Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo has killed 2,325 people, government data showed on Sunday, surpassing the toll from the 2018-2020 outbreak to become the deadliest in the country’s history.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 17 Aug. 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 20 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of dead for Spanish Speakers

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