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Definition of deadnext
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as in doomed
facing certain defeat, disaster, or death if we don't finish this project on time, we're dead

Synonyms & Similar Words

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dead

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adverb

dead

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noun

as in death
the state of being dead it's impossible to raise someone from the dead

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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
The bottom five The five teams headed toward dead last and the best lottery odds for the top pick in this year’s draft. Sean McIndoe, New York Times, 12 Jan. 2026 After all, Anna has a genuine motive for wanting all these women dead, and that includes Catherine who abandoned her that night. Derek Lawrence, HollywoodReporter, 12 Jan. 2026
Adverb
Mbolo Isac’s crashed Toyota RAV4 with Taxi & Limousine Commission plates and alerted cops, who found the cab driver dead inside. Emma Seiwell, New York Daily News, 2 Jan. 2026 This book is dead serious about the human condition, determined to ask existential questions about life and willing to linger in its mysteries. The Atlantic Culture Desk, The Atlantic, 26 Dec. 2025
Noun
As governments separately attempt to get to the bottom of both attacks, the citizens of Delhi and Islamabad are left cleaning up the debris and mourning their dead. Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 12 Nov. 2025 Four people were arrested in Conway on Tuesday in relation to a Saturday shooting that left a 17-year-old dead, a news release from Conway police says. Arkansas Online, 21 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for dead
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dead
Adjective
  • The alleged perpetrator was hit and is deceased.
    WCCO Staff, CBS News, 8 Jan. 2026
  • The victims were Kato Allen Perez, born in 1992, who was previously known to be deceased; Nikko Lee Perez, who was born in 1996; Mika Alena Perez, who was born in 1995; a second Nikko Lee Perez, who was born in 1997; and Kato Krow Perez, born in 2001.
    Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 7 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • Traditional humanoid robots depend heavily on data collected by human operators, which is slow and expensive.
    Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 13 Jan. 2026
  • Her days were slow and intentional.
    Jordan Greene, PEOPLE, 13 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • That includes fewer tired drivers on overnight routes, more predictable freight movement and potentially safer highways over time.
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 15 Jan. 2026
  • The tired hosts will be delighted.
    Moira McCarthy, Boston Herald, 14 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • Those bright white tees seem to be absolute stain magnets attracting coffee drips, spaghetti sauce spots, and salad dressing splashes.
    Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 10 Jan. 2026
  • Since a steamy cup of hot cocoa by your in-room fireplace is an absolute must, coffee bar stations are stocked with an assortment of artisan mixes by Sorrento, along with herbal teas and coffee.
    Jennie Nunn, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • Like, like my legs are going numb.
    Outside Online, Outside Online, 7 Jan. 2026
  • On my knees, my hands zip-tied behind me, my fingers and feet quickly grew numb.
    Emily Wilder, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
Adjective
  • Many hominids went extinct during this period, and being able to consume alcohol without adverse and/or toxic effects would have conferred a survival advantage.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 7 Jan. 2026
  • In 2017, winter steelhead populations at Oregon’s Willamette Falls seemed almost certain to soon go extinct, Michael Brown, the marine-mammal program leader at the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, told me.
    Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 7 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • Forsythia Bursting forth in sprays of yellow blooms while everything else is still brown and dormant, forsythia provides a splash of color when the daffodils are starting to bloom.
    Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Jan. 2026
  • Next up, in April crews are expected to begin transforming a dormant strip of Church Street, once the city’s party hub, into a festival street designed for pedestrians and hosting events.
    Ryan Gillespie, The Orlando Sentinel, 12 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • The Burbank Police Department also shared a security camera video from the deadly shootout.
    Matthew Rodriguez, CBS News, 8 Jan. 2026
  • Rock jetties can be deadly in such conditions, stay off the rocks.
    CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 8 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Dead.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dead. Accessed 18 Jan. 2026.

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