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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
She was pronounced dead in the parking lot of the business and was identified by the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office. Amy McDaniel, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Sep. 2025 The suspect was taken to Brookdale Hospital Medical Center in Brooklyn where he was pronounced dead, according to Rivera. Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 7 Sep. 2025
Adverb
Police found 42-year-old Amy Finney dead inside the vehicle, according to the sheriff’s office. Mitchell Willetts, Kansas City Star, 2 Sep. 2025 But Olusanya — deep-voiced, serious and already dead-set on pursuing a music career — told me that the main thing on his mind, post-performance, was how to get even better. Hannah Edgar, Chicago Tribune, 1 Sep. 2025
Noun
The Young Bucks hit the TK Driver to Swerve on the outside, leaving Ospreay dead to rights. Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 12 July 2025 In Kerr County, home to Camp Mystic and other youth camps, searchers have found 16 bodies since Saturday afternoon, bringing the total number of dead there to 59, including 21 children, said Sheriff Larry Leitha. Jim Vertuno, Chicago Tribune, 6 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for dead
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dead
Adjective
  • When the gunfire ceased, additional resources were deployed to safely enter the residence, where Poulter was found deceased, police reported.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 10 Sep. 2025
  • Those both come back around, as does another subplot about Alex (Jess McLeod), the estranged child of the recently deceased former sheriff who was not invited to the funeral, but comes home anyway.
    Katie Rife, IndieWire, 9 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Biden, who ended his bid for a second White House term 107 days before last year's election, has been relatively slow to move on presidential library planning compared with most of his recent predecessors.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 7 Sep. 2025
  • With Parkinson’s, doctors implant electrodes in the brain that produce electrical impulses to disrupt the abnormal signals that cause tremors, stiffness and slow movement.
    Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 7 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Susan has lifted us up for 50 years; and her arms have not grown tired.
    Scott Simon, NPR, 6 Sep. 2025
  • Discard the tired-looking center and separate clumps from the outer edges by hand or use a sharp knife or pruning saw.
    Rita Pelczar, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Open spaces, huge rooms, and an absolute lack of privacy are all the rage.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 5 Sep. 2025
  • After a review, the ACIP decided to focus first on getting the vaccine to people at the absolute highest risk, people 65 and up, a recommendation ultimately accepted by the CDC.
    Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Having weathered so many punches heretofore, the viewer is more likely to be numb than moved.
    Derek Robertson, The Washington Examiner, 5 Sep. 2025
  • During Covid, the world felt numb and dystopian.
    Kim Gordon, Rolling Stone, 3 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Sharks, rays, and chimaeras are among the most threatened vertebrate groups on the planet, second only to amphibians; according to the IUCN Red List, 37% of these species are at risk of extinction (and one species is already extinct).
    Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
  • Other extinct branches of the tree of life included Hawaiian honeyeater birds of the family Mohoidae and the Dinornithormes order which grouped giant flightless birds such as New Zealand’s moas.
    Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • An opportunity to wake a dormant gift.
    Seth Wickersham, The Atlantic, 8 Sep. 2025
  • The Macy’s building sat dormant for over a decade.
    Jenna Thompson, Kansas City Star, 8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Over the past 48 hours, Nepal has been rocked by deadly mass protests led by young people who are frustrated over the country's leadership.
    Juliana Kim, NPR, 10 Sep. 2025
  • Rip currents are the deadliest of surf-zone dangers, making up the majority of deaths among beach swimmers every year, according to data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
    Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Dead.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dead. Accessed 13 Sep. 2025.

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