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
Australian singer-songwriter Courtney Barnett will bring her deadpan stylings to the Majestic Theatre on May 21 with Truman Sinclair in the opening slot.
—
Brian McCollum, Freep.com, 21 Jan. 2026
As the fourth feature collaboration between Lanthimos and Stone, this particular deadpan dark comedy may suffer in comparison to its predecessors.
—Nate Jones, Vulture, 16 Jan. 2026
Known for his spare, unforgiving style and darkly comic fatalistic sensibility, along with his penchant for leather jackets, lots of smoking and a deadpan sense of humor, Tarr was a quintessential arthouse filmmaker.
—Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 9 Jan. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for deadpan
Brian McCollum, Freep.com, 21 Jan. 2026
As the fourth feature collaboration between Lanthimos and Stone, this particular deadpan dark comedy may suffer in comparison to its predecessors.
—Nate Jones, Vulture, 16 Jan. 2026
Known for his spare, unforgiving style and darkly comic fatalistic sensibility, along with his penchant for leather jackets, lots of smoking and a deadpan sense of humor, Tarr was a quintessential arthouse filmmaker.
—Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 9 Jan. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for deadpan
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deadpan
Adjective
-
Two were blank, one was out of focus and two showed police officers.—
Lauren Kent,
CNN Money,
20 Feb. 2026
-
The brand’s trefoil logo is embroidered in gold at the forefoot, but the mule is otherwise blank in terms of outward branding.—
Riley Jones,
Footwear News,
18 Feb. 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
-
Stephen Moyer plays one of the more enigmatic additions to The Night Agent season 3.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Anthony Gordon is half lightning bolt, half question mark, an enigmatic footballer with searing pace whose sharp fluctuations of form and consistency entirely mirror those of Newcastle United.—
George Caulkin,
New York Times,
19 Feb. 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 26 Feb. 2026.
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