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.
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in tired
depleted in strength, energy, or freshness
a long day of traveling left them just dead
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in absolute
having no exceptions or restrictions
there was a dead silence following that incredibly moving performance
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in numb
lacking in sensation or feeling
my foot was dead after I absentmindedly sat on it for an hour
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in extinct
no longer existing
the dead Babylonian culture
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
as in dormant
not being in a state of use, activity, or employment
local coal mines that have been dead for years
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
8
as in deadly
of, relating to, or suggestive of death
fell into a dead faint upon hearing the news
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
11
as in barren
producing inferior or only a small amount of vegetation
the dead wastes of the far country to the west
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in straight
in a direct line or course
the finish line is dead ahead
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in completely
to a full extent or degree
I'm dead certain that's the one I want
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in death
the state of being dead
it's impossible to raise someone from the dead
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Deanese Williams-Harris, Chicago Tribune, 21 Feb. 2026
He was pronounced dead at the scene of the incident.
—Andrew Adeolu, CBS News, 21 Feb. 2026
Luca Evans, Denver Post, 5 Feb. 2026
Like Los Angeles, the Texans are cast as a poor rushing team by advanced metrics, ranked dead last by ESPN’s run-block win rate and fourth-worst in rushing offense by DVOA.
—Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 18 Jan. 2026
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
Adjective
He was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.
—Deanese Williams-Harris, Chicago Tribune, 21 Feb. 2026
He was pronounced dead at the scene of the incident.
—Andrew Adeolu, CBS News, 21 Feb. 2026
Adverb
But the 22-year-old receiver’s mind is dead-set on his 2026 measurables.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 5 Feb. 2026
Like Los Angeles, the Texans are cast as a poor rushing team by advanced metrics, ranked dead last by ESPN’s run-block win rate and fourth-worst in rushing offense by DVOA.
—Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 18 Jan. 2026
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 bodies of the nine deceased skiers were recovered by rescue teams on Friday and Saturday after avalanche mitigation.—
Caelyn Pender,
Mercury News,
25 Feb. 2026
-
The association also will commemorate the nation’s milestone with merchandise, membership opportunities and other ways to honor veterans living and deceased.—
Noah Lyons,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
But that boost also didn’t last long – 2025 was marked mostly by Russia’s slow, grinding offensive along the 1,200-kilometer-long frontline.—
Ivana Kottasová,
CNN Money,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Implementing peace deals is notoriously difficult, so slow progress can be expected.—
Elizabeth Shackelford,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
For anyone who’s tired of layering in linen blankets and jute throw rugs, an accordion divider is another excellent option.—
Ashley Chalmers,
The Spruce,
26 Feb. 2026
-
Want a worker who always shows up, never says no, never gets sick, and can work without getting tired?—
Caleb Harris,
Austin American Statesman,
26 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Sofia Vergara kept tan lines to the absolute minimum during an impromptu sunbathing session on Friday morning.—
Lara Walsh,
InStyle,
21 Feb. 2026
-
The absolute security that George felt about his own social position, plus some liberal impulse stirring within him, led him to want to take down the barriers that the Mardi Gras krewes—social organizations of immense prestige—had erected against Jews, at least on behalf of the Lemanns.—
Nicholas Lemann,
New Yorker,
21 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Her numb silence and lack of affect read as a trauma response; she is cut off in terms of her emotional response, and also in narrative terms, underscoring her isolation.—
Catherine Bray,
Variety,
17 Feb. 2026
-
On the deck of a research vessel in Antarctica, fingers and noses are constantly going numb; your gloves need to be water- and cold- and shockproof all at once.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
12 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
At some point, likely within the next two billion years, those temperatures will rise so high that our oceans will boil away; shortly after that, it’s expected that life on our planet will go completely extinct.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Across the peninsula, cheetahs were deemed locally extinct in the 1970s.—
Taylor Nicioli,
CNN Money,
20 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
But from November to April, most of those bugs are dormant.—
Graham Averill,
Outside,
23 Feb. 2026
-
Pruning these old shoots during the dormant season would remove the flower buds, leaving us with flowerless plants for the year.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
23 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Washington — The House of Representatives is set to consider whether a collision avoidance system that supporters say could have prevented last year’s deadly midair collision near Washington should be required on every plane in the US.—
Alexandra Skores,
CNN Money,
24 Feb. 2026
-
That pause came six days after yet another judge vacated Williams’ lengthy sentence for the deadly 2001 shooting on the Santee campus, a decision that could clear the way for his release.—
Teri Figueroa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dead.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dead. Accessed 27 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
