1
as in lethal
likely to cause or capable of causing death
the doctors were alarmed about the outbreak of the deadly new virus
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sheer
having no exceptions or restrictions
the deadly tedium of waiting for the fog to lift
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in mortal
of, relating to, or suggestive of death
a deadly pallor spread across her face as the tragic news gradually sank in
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in extremely
to a great degree
I'm deadly serious about making an offer on the house
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of deadly
Alexandra Rockey Fleming, PEOPLE, 11 Nov. 2025
The JuA has been behind some of the deadliest terrorist attacks in Pakistan in the past decade.
—Sophia Saifi, CNN Money, 11 Nov. 2025
Literary Hub, 7 Oct. 2025
The Milwaukee Brewers are deadly serious about their baseball this season.
—Don Riddell, CNN Money, 3 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for deadly
Adjective
Soon he was engaged in Operation Phantom Fury — the second battle of Fallujah — facing the ultimate sacrifice in what became the deadliest fight in Iraq for American forces.
—Alexandra Rockey Fleming, PEOPLE, 11 Nov. 2025
The JuA has been behind some of the deadliest terrorist attacks in Pakistan in the past decade.
—Sophia Saifi, CNN Money, 11 Nov. 2025
Adverb
Plus, what a good reader of Pynchon arrives at is a message in his books that is deadly serious.
—Literary Hub, 7 Oct. 2025
The Milwaukee Brewers are deadly serious about their baseball this season.
—Don Riddell, CNN Money, 3 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for deadly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deadly
Adjective
-
He’s sent to the deadly planet Genna, where every flora and fauna has evolved to be as lethal as possible, and given the seemingly impossible task of killing a fierce creature known as the Kalisk.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
7 Nov. 2025
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How Nashville police got involved Nashville Police Chief John Drake said the department's specialized investigation unit saw a rise in violent crime two years ago, including non-lethal shootings and homicides connected to the MS-13 gang.—
Craig Shoup,
Nashville Tennessean,
7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Critics argue the ballroom's sheer scale—twice the size of the main residence—will fundamentally alter the White House's historic proportions and architectural balance.—
Adeola Adeosun,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Nov. 2025
-
The genocidal evil of the Nazis was, and is, often accorded a type of 'genius' - an idea that often persists in public discourse as a way to account for the sheer malice in the planning and execution of the Holocaust as something exceptional.—
NPR,
NPR,
11 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
There are guns, horses, ghosts, a primal struggle for survival in hostile terrain, family feuds and a steadily intensifying sense of mortal threat, as Old Porch’s ambition and psychopathy escalate the drama.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 Nov. 2025
-
The Anaheim location, which opened to similar acclaim earlier this year, will soon be joined by an in-progress second brick-and-mortal location to open in Santa Ana.—
Brock Keeling,
Oc Register,
6 Nov. 2025
Adverb
-
In extremely dense fog where visibility is near zero, the best course of action is to first turn on your hazard lights, then simply pull into a safe location such as a parking lot of a local business, and stop.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
8 Nov. 2025
-
Nineteenth-century reporters could be extremely casual with facts and guessed at the spelling of names.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Yet a drumbeat of Mamdani’s past statements about Israel did not prove politically fatal in New York City in 2025.—
Philip Elliott,
Time,
5 Nov. 2025
-
The special explores theories about why the thieves targeted specific displays, who orchestrated this brazen operation and which fatal flaws in their plan ultimately led to their capture.—
Peter White,
Deadline,
5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Days later the president handed a full and unconditional pardon to Changpeng Zhao, the former CEO of Binance, who pleaded guilty to money laundering charges.—
NPR,
NPR,
11 Nov. 2025
-
As Russia’s closest ally, China would not break with Moscow by endorsing an unconditional cease-fire, but it, too, would be discomfited by having to explain this choice.—
Thomas Wright,
The Atlantic,
11 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
The cemetery of good but dead laws is infinite; the main thing is that social forces exist.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Nov. 2025
-
These ghosts, which take the form of their dead friends, are mostly just goofy, with the shoddy special effects and glowy auras giving the whole thing a distinctly Haunted Mansion vibe; critically, the threat never feels real, which undermines any tension.—
Louis Peitzman,
Vulture,
10 Nov. 2025
Adverb
-
Flares such as this one reveal the presence of incredibly large stars near the hearts of galaxies and shed light on the very structure of galaxies, Ford said.—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN Money,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Over the last 10 years the floor on theatrical performance has dropped out, so distributors need to be incredibly careful about project selection and assumptions at acquisition stage.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
6 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Deadly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deadly. Accessed 13 Nov. 2025.
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