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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
Westman, who was granted a name change in 2020 after identifying as a female, was found dead by suicide, police said. Khaleda Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Aug. 2025 In 1967: Brian Epstein, manager of the Beatles, was found dead at his London home. Powered By, AZCentral.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Adverb
We clerks spent long hours on perimeter guard because infantry units were dead exhausted when back in from the bush. Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 27 July 2025 Husband, father William Kirk discovered dead in ditch Kirk, a Civil War veteran, left his Cumminsville home with about $240 in his pocket – a sum equivalent to nearly $7,000 today. Amber Hunt, The Enquirer, 2 July 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
  • The woman was pronounced deceased at the scene, officials said.
    Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 22 Aug. 2025
  • He was pronounced deceased at the scene by medical personnel, according to the information provided on the website.
    Sandra Gonzalez, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • New York lawmakers are proposing rules to humanely drive down the population of rats and other rodents, eyeing contraception and a ban on glue traps as alternatives to poison or a slow, brutal death.
    Kate Plummer, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Aug. 2025
  • One instance sees a ghastly spectral soldier filling a stream with all the lost souls of the enemies the player has killed so far, but the battle itself is just a slow walk to the end that’s exhausting to trudge through.
    Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 22 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • If tired, float or tread water until out of the rip current.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 24 Aug. 2025
  • Clearly, the fans are tired of Smith's constant issues with James.
    Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • And our absolute best chance of overhearing a signal will come when two of those exoplanets transit at the same moment, putting us in just the right spot to catch stray radio waves.
    Kiona N. Smith, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2025
  • The Best Time To Shop At Costco Believe it or not, one hour before closing is the absolute quietest time of day at Costco in most cities.
    Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 22 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • As the president delivered the White House briefing, Jackson’s right arm started getting numb.
    Denise Crosby, Chicago Tribune, 17 Aug. 2025
  • Standing on the mountain, my legs were 80 percent numb from the waist down.
    Scott Haugen, Outdoor Life, 13 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • The upside is that there are some species that can help fill the role of some of these species that are going extinct.
    Dana Taylor, USA Today, 21 Aug. 2025
  • Centuries after the massive ancestor of modern-day cattle went extinct, a new breed is being released in Denmark to rewild the terrain.
    Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 20 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Plants require good moisture to bloom but tolerate drier soils when dormant.
    Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 24 Aug. 2025
  • While the field never went entirely dormant, the collapse of dedicated hardware, the brittleness of expert systems, and the failure of national mega-projects combined to bring about the second AI winter.
    Paulo Carvão, Forbes.com, 24 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Both are incredibly venomous and deadly, but the Coral snake has more neurotoxic venom on a drop-for-drop basis.
    Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2025
  • The suspect in the deadly shooting Friday, Aug. 22 at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit was taken into custody early Saturday morning, according to the Detroit Police Department.
    Tanya Wildt, Freep.com, 23 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Dead.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dead. Accessed 4 Sep. 2025.

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