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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 deadpan
Unlike most podcasts, the TBPN hosts insert deadpan ads for Ramp, upscale Airbnb competitor Wander, and luxury-watch marketplace Bezel seamlessly into their flow of conversation.
—
Julia Black, Vanity Fair, 8 Jan. 2026
Adventurous cinephiles came to worship his enveloping dramas, and directors like Jim Jarmusch and Gus Van Sant were heavily influenced by his contemplative style and underappreciated deadpan comedic style.
—Tim Grierson, Rolling Stone, 6 Jan. 2026
With her signature deadpan sarcasm and round glasses, Daria critiqued suburban life and the insanity of high school popularity contests with wit and honesty.
—Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal, Parents, 30 Dec. 2025
The actress handles the deadpan demeanor of the piece with utmost precision.
—Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 11 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for deadpan
Julia Black, Vanity Fair, 8 Jan. 2026
Adventurous cinephiles came to worship his enveloping dramas, and directors like Jim Jarmusch and Gus Van Sant were heavily influenced by his contemplative style and underappreciated deadpan comedic style.
—Tim Grierson, Rolling Stone, 6 Jan. 2026
With her signature deadpan sarcasm and round glasses, Daria critiqued suburban life and the insanity of high school popularity contests with wit and honesty.
—Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal, Parents, 30 Dec. 2025
The actress handles the deadpan demeanor of the piece with utmost precision.
—Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 11 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for deadpan
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deadpan
Adjective
-
The thought of a blank calendar is scarier than working eighty hours a week.—
Lien De Pau,
Forbes.com,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Fans tuning into the 2026 Grammys in hopes of seeing Taylor Swift will be left with a blank space on Sunday.—
Vivian Kwarm,
Mercury News,
28 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The routine calls for this chic, almost expressionless vibe — very different from a typical K-pop performance.—
Billboard Korea,
Billboard,
26 Nov. 2025
-
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
-
Not as a political or media figure — her own ideological preferences remain as enigmatic as her personality — but as a branding opportunity.—
Benjamin Svetkey,
HollywoodReporter,
30 Jan. 2026
-
The Okavango Delta is one of those places, an enigmatic wetland that disappears into the Kalahari Desert and is home to the world’s largest remaining elephant population — a wilderness beyond comparison.—
Lizz Schumer,
PEOPLE,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Crucially, Depardon and his impassive camera refuse to pass judgment, letting the subjects—among society’s most vulnerable and marginalized—speak for themselves.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
20 Jan. 2026
-
The Stoic philosophers, fixated on the impassive, idealized masculine, wrote often of death, attempting to acknowledge its inevitability while staring untroubled into its abyss.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Even Universal’s stolid Lew Wasserman was suddenly looking for buyers and firing existing staff.—
Peter Bart,
Deadline,
18 Dec. 2025
-
Joel Edgerton plays Robert Grainier, an orphan who grows up to be a stolid working man.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
21 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Deadpan.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deadpan. Accessed 3 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
