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
But the lack of prescribed burning, a practice long used by indigenous people to clear out dead plants and to keep landscapes healthy, has left these trees vulnerable. — Taylor Romine, CNN Money, 4 Oct. 2026 Officials from South Sacramento California Highway Patrol said the wrong way driver was pronounced dead on the scene. — Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 4 Oct. 2026
Adverb
Ranked dead last in activities and in the bottom third for affordablity, quality of life and healthcare. — Medora Lee, USA Today, 31 Aug. 2026 Colorado is projected to finish near the bottom of the league once again, according to a media poll put on by The Tulsa World newspaper and the recruiting rankings have the Buffs dead-last in the league in recruiting classes. — Matt Murschel, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 Aug. 2026
Noun
As family secrets and wounds, resurface the entire neighborhood senses presences and hear the distinctive sounds of their own dead. — John Hopewell, Variety, 28 July 2026 In many cases, our dead are barreling headlong into the void without any kind of ceremony at all. — John Semley, Harpers Magazine, 28 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
  • Historical Artist of the Year Honoring a deceased artist who is the subject of a major museum survey that offers a new lens with which to examine their work.
    — Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 29 Sep. 2026
  • In the same month Netflix released Train Dreams, the film version of Denis Johnson’s revered short novel about a logger whose deceased baby daughter visits him in the form of a wolf.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of deceased
Adjective
  • Because mRNA technology bypasses the slow process of growing viruses in eggs, mRNA manufacturing allows for later influenza strain selection and fast production, unlike traditional vaccines.
    — Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 2 Oct. 2026
  • After his sudden death in 1960, Olivetti began a slow decline and was eventually broken up and merged with a telecommunications company.
    — E. Alex Jung, Vulture, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of slow
Adjective
  • For serious gear collectors tired of pocket clutter and dark backpack voids, this clever mobile workstation is a genuinely smart, highly functional evolution.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Common symptoms of sleep apnea include loud snoring, gasping for air during the night, and waking up feeling tired.
    — Lindsay Curtis, HEALTH, 27 Sep. 2026
Definition of tired
Adjective
  • My absolute dream is to be on a television comedy and just get to go to work and laugh all the time, and continue to write more of these shows and tour them.
    — Chris Willman, Variety, 1 Oct. 2026
  • The combined implication of transitivity and the infinitive verb is that, speaking conceptually, the artist engages a category of encounter that is absolute, while process and contingency govern the actuality of the work as a function of time.
    — Jeffrey Weiss, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of absolute
Adjective
  • After nine relocations, baseball fanbases became numb to abandonment, but by 1971, Washington fans who were losing their second franchise in 11 years, had enough.
    — Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 23 Sep. 2026
  • At one point in the swim, her hand went directly into a compass jellyfish, leaving it numb for a while.
    — Rachel Roberts, Idaho Statesman, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of numb
Adjective
  • This year, organizers say there will be more than 200 lots available for auction, including at least one plant, Mexipedium xerophyticum ‘Oaxaca’, donated by the Huntington, that is considered extinct in the wild.
    — Pedro Moura, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
  • This is no castle hotel, however; instead, it's set at the base of Edinburgh's extinct volcano, Arthur's Seat.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of extinct
Adjective
  • The administration has also intervened on behalf of Sable Offshore, allowing the company to revive a long-dormant pipeline off the coast of Santa Barbara despite objections from California officials and regulators.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2026
  • During fall, many of the plants in your garden shed their leaves and go dormant in preparation for colder winter weather.
    — Abby Monteil, The Spruce, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of dormant
Adjective
  • Responsible for the devastating Black Death pandemic of 1346 to 1353, this deadly bacterium claimed between 25 and 50 million lives in Europe alone.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 5 Oct. 2026
  • What knocks him for a deadly loop is a powdered, pampered piece of work called Mildred (Elizabeth Teeter).
    — Sara Holdren, Vulture, 5 Oct. 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 5 Oct. 2026.

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