as in blank
not expressing any emotion
he delivered the joke in such a deadpan voice that we thought at first that he was serious
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of deadpan
The film’s wry brand of sadness at times recalls the work of Aki Kaurismäki, although Covi and Frimmel rarely mimic the Finnish auteur’s deadpan style of humor.
—
Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 19 Feb. 2026
Chase sequences through streets and down staircases are more thuddingly deadpan than raucously camp.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 18 Feb. 2026
Robbie, who proved her deadpan comedic acting chops in Barbie, is a joy as the flighty, vain, fast-talking Cathy, totally lacking in self-awareness.
—Radhika Seth, Vogue, 9 Feb. 2026
Araki flashes back a tongue-in-cheek nine-and-a-half weeks to show us, alternating key moments from Elliot’s life with deadpan police interrogation scenes, where Elliot is questioned by officers played, with Araki’s undeniable casting brilliance, by Margaret Cho and Johnny Knoxville.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 23 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for deadpan
Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 19 Feb. 2026
Chase sequences through streets and down staircases are more thuddingly deadpan than raucously camp.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 18 Feb. 2026
Robbie, who proved her deadpan comedic acting chops in Barbie, is a joy as the flighty, vain, fast-talking Cathy, totally lacking in self-awareness.
—Radhika Seth, Vogue, 9 Feb. 2026
Araki flashes back a tongue-in-cheek nine-and-a-half weeks to show us, alternating key moments from Elliot’s life with deadpan police interrogation scenes, where Elliot is questioned by officers played, with Araki’s undeniable casting brilliance, by Margaret Cho and Johnny Knoxville.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 23 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for deadpan
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deadpan
Adjective
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Dawson instead showed up at Cubs’ spring training in ’87 and made the most famous gambit in free agent history — offering the team a blank contract to sign him.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Mar. 2026
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But there was more blank space to fill in on Issei’s end, with Season 2 swapping out fantasy sequences in Camille’s mind palace for Issei’s visions of black-and-white moonscapes to that effect.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The routine calls for this chic, almost expressionless vibe — very different from a typical K-pop performance.—
Billboard Korea,
Billboard,
26 Nov. 2025
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Bale ran to the corner of the pitch, and, having been an expressionless bystander for much of the evening, shouted in ecstasy.—
Hua Hsu,
The New Yorker,
21 Nov. 2022
Adjective
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Much like the movie itself, the images captured by Jima on set are spare and enigmatic.—
Naomi Fry,
New Yorker,
14 Mar. 2026
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Spiritual Festivals in Ethiopia As one of the world’s earliest Christian nations, Ethiopia makes for quite the enigmatic travel destination.—
Nicole Kliest,
Vogue,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Dressed in a blue sweatshirt and surrounded by court officers, Henderson remained impassive.—
Corky Siemaszko,
NBC news,
7 Mar. 2026
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Now the piano has something to play against, slinking, leaping, whipping, and swiveling like an agitated shark in a tank of impassive harmonies.—
Justin Davidson,
Vulture,
3 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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In the Afrikaans world of my childhood, dancing often meant the stolid vastrap (tight-step), the terrible langarm (long-arm, a two-step that desperately wants to be a one-step), or, worst of all, volkspele (national or popular games), compulsory in Afrikaans-medium state-run schools.—
Jan Steyn,
The Dial,
10 Mar. 2026
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The Roosevelt, a stolid 19 masonry floors, can’t compete in this new game.—
Christopher Bonanos,
Curbed,
25 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Deadpan.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deadpan. Accessed 16 Mar. 2026.
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