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
What is your reaction to Drew being the one to rat you out about lying and manipulating Angela with your dead mother story? — Matt Minton, Variety, 31 July 2026 After the case went cold for decades, NSW Deputy State Coroner Joan Baptie has now ruled that Balmain is dead, 9 News reported. — Gina Kalsi, PEOPLE, 31 July 2026
Adverb
Daily tours allow the public to view the colorful creations and sometimes even spot the monarch himself out dead-heading the roses or pruning shrubs. — Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 22 July 2026 The state finishes dead last in primary care physicians per capita. — Scott Cohn, CNBC, 11 July 2026
Noun
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 Perhaps most notably, in several areas along the Western Front during World War I, British and German troops spontaneously observed an unofficial truce to celebrate the Christmas holiday and bury their dead. — Steve S. Medeiros, The Conversation, 15 June 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
  • Fire personnel found two deceased bodies inside the home, Canyon County spokesperson Joe Decker told the Idaho Statesman.
    — Sally Krutzig, Idaho Statesman, 3 Aug. 2026
  • The 1967 drama is about estranged brothers who are forced to deal with each other while haggling over the sale of their recently deceased father’s furniture to a dealer.
    — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of deceased
Adjective
  • The slow pace continued for a while, but eventually, Punk took down Rhodes with a leaping heel kick and tweaked his knee.
    — Blake Oestriecher, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Long days were spent cleaning, drawing and waiting for customers during slow periods, all while mastering a craft that permanently alters another person’s body.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of slow
Adjective
  • One way to discourage the habit would be to keep yourself from becoming overly tired.
    — Jeanne Phillips, Mercury News, 30 July 2026
  • Many of those creators can no longer command the same fees from brands, and more often than not their followers are tired of the same old content.
    — Rebecca Jennings, Vulture, 30 July 2026
Definition of tired
Adjective
  • Gary had the punchout on Mafah that served as the big highlight, but Ezeiruaku was moving with absolute ease off the edge in generating pressure on Prescott.
    — Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 July 2026
  • But his avuncular encouragement of Tony in what could be absolute folly brings real heart to this section — until calamity intrudes.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 29 July 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
  • Visitors are taken back in time to imagine how this now extinct creature — three times the size of a modern-day great white shark — used to swim right over the National Mall.
    — Amy DeLaura, The Washington Examiner, 31 July 2026
  • The team says the molecular analysis indicates that the strains existed in a now-extinct variola virus lineage that bridges Old World European strains with its later variants.
    — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 30 July 2026
Definition of extinct
Adjective
  • The Unified Government and Eastside and its partners, the Arnold Development Group and Keystone Innovations, have hit an impasse over how much that prime real estate — which has been dormant since Indian Springs’ demolition — should sell for.
    — Sofi Zeman July 30, Kansas City Star, 30 July 2026
  • However, the court has lain dormant in the 30 years since it was created and has never been used before.
    — Elise Spenner, ABC News, 30 July 2026
Definition of dormant
Adjective
  • Since then, the military have kept her exact whereabouts and condition secret as a deadly civil war has engulfed much of the impoverished Southeast Asian nation.
    — Helen Regan, CNN Money, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Moscow mayor calls Saturday's deadly bomb attack on restaurant a 'terrorist act.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 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 6 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on dead

Nglish: Translation of dead for Spanish Speakers

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