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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
He was was shot and pronounced dead on scene, the release said. Melina Khan, USA Today, 24 July 2025 Paramedics tried to resuscitate her and rushed her to a nearby hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Victoria Moorwood, The Enquirer, 24 July 2025
Adverb
Voices Hiltzik: Trump and Vance are dead wrong — economists unanimously agree that U.S. tariffs are a tax on American consumers Sept. 4, 2024 Trump’s tariff orders betray the same inattention to detail. Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2025 Deputies believe the contractor hadn’t been dead long, probably within a day, by the time authorities got involved, KPRC reported. Mitchell Willetts, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 May 2025
Noun
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 The discovery brought the number of dead there to five, with five others potentially under the debris, Terekhov said. Arkansas Online, 10 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for dead
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dead
Adjective
  • Another female was discovered deceased in the hallway bathroom and a further deceased female was found in a bedroom across the hall from the bathroom.
    Becca Longmire, People.com, 28 July 2025
  • González’s son previously posted one of the now-circulating pictures on Instagram as a posthumous tribute to his deceased father.
    Mia Cathell, The Washington Examiner, 28 July 2025
Adjective
  • As elevated mortgage rates continue to put a damper on the housing market locally and nationally, rising inventory, slower sales and lower prices have made for more favorable conditions for potential buyers in the Austin-area housing market.
    Shonda Novak, Austin American Statesman, 30 July 2025
  • Progress toward the opening of the micro-home village has been slow following a ceremonial groundbreaking held in July 2023.
    Joseph Flaherty, Arkansas Online, 30 July 2025
Adjective
  • The hollowed eyes and sunken cheeks belonging to Wednesday and the tired girl visage is one that requires the cool-toned products Violetta reached for in her videos, according to makeup artist Lauren Wolborsky.
    Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 30 July 2025
  • Cosmetic procedures were once only whispered about, carefully timed around the holidays to create the illusion that a restful getaway had erased wrinkles, brightened tired eyes and restored a youthful, refreshed look.
    James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 30 July 2025
Adjective
  • To see the process and attention to detail required was an absolute joy.
    Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 30 July 2025
  • The issue is less the absolute number than the trajectory.
    William Pesek, Forbes.com, 30 July 2025
Adjective
  • These include feeling emotionally numb or that life is meaningless; experiencing difficulty accepting the loss; and experiencing confusion over their own identity.
    Issy Ronald, CNN Money, 28 July 2025
  • To be a sports fan in the modern era is to be at least somewhat numb to the steady drip of doping positives.
    Alex Hutchinson, Outside Online, 25 July 2025
Adjective
  • But as a group, hominins—that’s Neanderthals, our species, and other extinct close relatives—aren’t specialized flesh eaters.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 28 July 2025
  • But as a group, hominins – that’s Neanderthals, our species and other extinct close relatives – aren’t specialized flesh eaters.
    Melanie Beasley, The Conversation, 25 July 2025
Adjective
  • This means your lawn is dormant and should be revived with watering.
    Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, 22 July 2025
  • Shipbuilding in the United States has been all but dormant.
    Adam Reiss, NBC news, 17 July 2025
Adjective
  • The man faces five criminal charges including unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon and criminal recklessness with a deadly weapon.
    Jordan Smith, IndyStar, 31 July 2025
  • The clinic helps prevent the spread of this deadly disease in the U.S.
    Nicole Villalpando, Austin American Statesman, 31 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Dead.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dead. Accessed 3 Aug. 2025.

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