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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
Scarlett Johansson's Black Widow was popular enough that fans wanted a solo story, but the studio didn't bother to make it until her character was already dead in the major timeline, then skipped the theatrical release, which Johansson sued them about. Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 19 Apr. 2025 He was taken to a hospital and pronounced dead four days later on Nov. 6 after extensive medical treatment. Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 18 Apr. 2025
Adverb
Entering last season, the Tigers had averaged about a ninth-place finish in punt return yards since joining the SEC in 2012, including 2023, when Mizzou finished dead last. Quentin Corpuel, Kansas City Star, 12 Mar. 2025 With the Chicago Blackhawks dead last in the standings, general manager Kyle Davidson will likely spend more time over the next months evaluating draft prospects and taking calls leading up to the March 7 deadline. Scott Powers, The Athletic, 8 Jan. 2025
Noun
For years, the Health and Science Center acquired, studied and leased out the bodies of the unclaimed dead but abruptly halted the practice in September in response to an NBC News investigation. Mike Hixenbaugh, NBC News, 27 Dec. 2024 The contracts the counties signed to turn over their unclaimed dead to the Health Science Center drew little scrutiny prior to NBC News’ reporting. Mike Hixenbaugh, NBC News, 27 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for dead
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dead
Adjective
  • She was pronounced deceased at the scene of the collision.
    Caelyn Pender, Mercury News, 22 Apr. 2025
  • Homicide detectives determined that the two deceased people had both pulled out handguns and shot each other after an argument.
    Amy McDaniel, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • The company reaffirmed plans to launch an affordable model in early 2025, but warned the production ramp could be slower than expected.
    Akash Sriram and Abhirup Roy, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2025
  • The last two years have been incredibly slow, with existing home sales at their lowest levels since the mid-1990s.
    Laurel Wamsley, NPR, 24 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • But people here are tired of seeing Farmington in the headlines as a town that's losing population.
    Kirk Siegler, NPR, 24 Apr. 2025
  • And there’s kids who are tired, or crying or can’t handle it.
    Andy Mitten, New York Times, 22 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Additionally, the analyst believes the stock is trading at an attractive level, consistent with its past three-year average in absolute terms and relative to the S & P 500.
    Pia Singh, CNBC, 25 Apr. 2025
  • Hairston is an absolute burner who ran a 4.28 at the combine and despite his smallish weight, is a very long corner with near 32-inch arms.
    Joe Buscaglia, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • But, some people can feel numb after achieving major goals in life.
    Renée Onque, CNBC, 24 Apr. 2025
  • That’s always art’s job, but particularly now, when everyone is sort of numb with their disenfranchisement.
    Brent Lang, Variety, 11 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Long assumed to be extinct in the Golden State, a lone gray wolf crossed over the border from Oregon in 2011, and by 2015, a pack was identified in Northern California’s Siskiyou County, researchers noted.
    Sharon Udasin, The Hill, 21 Apr. 2025
  • Researchers believe there may have been a land bridge between the Caribbean and Central America that would have allowed the ants to move from the mainland to the islands, but eventually, the species went extinct.
    Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 21 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Instead of coddling grass with irrigation and fertilizer to prevent it from going dormant, embrace this natural response.
    Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 Apr. 2025
  • This allows the rooted cutting a full growing season to develop before becoming dormant in the winter.
    Quincy Bulin, Southern Living, 12 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Listen to this article A woman driver who fatally struck a 57-year-old pedestrian in Brooklyn in January has been arrested— three months after the deadly crash, police said.
    Roni Jacobson, New York Daily News, 25 Apr. 2025
  • At least eight people were killed in drone strikes across the country, a night after Russia launched its deadliest bombardment of Ukraine since the middle of last year.
    Todd Symons, CNN Money, 25 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Dead.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dead. Accessed 1 May. 2025.

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