dead 1 of 3

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
as in doomed
facing certain defeat, disaster, or death if we don't finish this project on time, we're dead

Synonyms & Similar Words

10
11

dead

2 of 3

adverb

dead

3 of 3

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
The victim suffered injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. Deanese Williams-Harris, Chicago Tribune, 5 June 2025 Dabney was pronounced dead at the scene at 10:40 p.m., according to a news release Thursday afternoon from the Ada County Coroner’s Office. Rose Evans, Idaho Statesman, 5 June 2025
Adverb
After an electrical malfunction, Neo had fallen over backward — fainting dead away. Cade Metz, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2025 Hackman, who retired from acting in 2004, was discovered dead along with his wife, Betsy Arakawa, and their dog in their home in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 28 Feb. 2025
Noun
Russia’s Tass news agency earlier said the Russian dead included at least two children, citing the country’s consul in Hurghada. Samy Magdy, Chicago Tribune, 27 Mar. 2025 Collecting the bodies For nearly three days, corpses littered the streets of Pine village, after villagers said fighters forbade them from collecting their dead, according to three of the locals CNN spoke to. Tamara Qiblawi, CNN, 17 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for dead
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dead
Adjective
  • Musk has falsely claimed that millions of Americans who are deceased are still receiving Social Security checks.
    Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 7 June 2025
  • Granted, all of the main subjects—Joan, John, their parents, Q, Joan’s brother, the psychiatrists—are deceased.
    Evelyn McDonnell June 5, Literary Hub, 5 June 2025
Adjective
  • Strain into a highball glass, while simultaneously adding the club soda together in one slow stream to achieve the fluffy, towering fizz.
    Jillian Dara, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
  • And while the Canadian industry made early gains to close a gender gap in the film and TV industry, making strides in advancing and promoting talent from underrepresented Black, Indigenous and People of Color communities has been slower and more incremental.
    Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 9 June 2025
Adjective
  • The Panthers survived an Aleksander Barkov delay of game penalty and McDavid slaloming through tired penalty killers only to be turned away by Bobrovsky’s stomach snow angel.
    Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 13 June 2025
  • My therapist buffs and moisturizes my tired skin with nutrient-rich seaweed body polish and a firming mask before laying shiver-inducing strands of detoxifying fresh seaweed across my back.
    Katie Nanton, Travel + Leisure, 12 June 2025
Adjective
  • Jewel Loyd — Las Vegas Aces Jewell lives up to her name, stepping through the tunnel looking like an absolute gem in this Jacquemus Canadian tuxedo—a sleek, washed, and polished denim suit.
    Tiana Randall, Forbes.com, 12 June 2025
  • The United States isn’t a perfect host country, as evidenced during the 2024 Copa America there, but the World Cup will be an absolute success.
    The Athletic Staff, New York Times, 11 June 2025
Adjective
  • The passenger blacked out, and woke up confused, with his hands numb.
    Tyler Foggatt, New Yorker, 24 May 2025
  • Dawn Hughes says substances can 'numb' abuse after Cassie 'freak offs' testimony Victims of abuse using substances while facing violence is one common coping mechanism, Hughes told the court on May 21.
    Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 23 May 2025
Adjective
  • The weaker strains have since gone extinct, according to new research.
    Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 7 June 2025
  • Deep-seafloor-dwelling foraminifera, which were far away from the surface and were able to keep feeding on the remains of dead organisms, were mostly fine, but nine out of ten planktonic species went extinct.
    Tim Vernimmen, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 June 2025
Adjective
  • Summer heat and dry conditions slow down turfgrass growth; drought-tolerant grass turns dormant, a natural protective response to adverse conditions.
    Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 June 2025
  • While most hosts of the parasite can control the initial infection with few if any symptoms, Toxoplasma remains in the body for life as dormant cysts in brain, heart and muscle tissue.
    Bill Sullivan, The Conversation, 28 May 2025
Adjective
  • In turn, Bivins brought in another friend to execute the deadly plot, according to an FBI criminal complaint and the factual statement filed with his plea agreement.
    Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 12 June 2025
  • Two people were arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon on a police officer and one person was taken into custody on suspicion of resisting a police officer, according to the LAPD.
    Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 12 June 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dead.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dead. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on dead

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!