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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Recent Examples of deadpan
Plaza — who is known for her deadpan delivery not only on screen but also while giving interviews on red carpets and the late-night circuit — has become known for dropping lines tailor-made for internet culture.
—
Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 8 Apr. 2026
The parade of styles, of homage and revolt, from the chromatic frenzy of Pollock and de Kooning to the deadpan rigor of Ruscha and Johns, led to the question of Lerner’s formation.
—Giles Harvey, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2026
His priceless deadpan delivery couldn’t be better suited for the character.
—Randy McMullen, Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2026
The deadpan one-liners exaggerating his strength, speed and toughness to absurd levels, turned Norris into one of the internet’s first global memes.
—Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 20 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for deadpan
Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 8 Apr. 2026
The parade of styles, of homage and revolt, from the chromatic frenzy of Pollock and de Kooning to the deadpan rigor of Ruscha and Johns, led to the question of Lerner’s formation.
—Giles Harvey, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2026
His priceless deadpan delivery couldn’t be better suited for the character.
—Randy McMullen, Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2026
The deadpan one-liners exaggerating his strength, speed and toughness to absurd levels, turned Norris into one of the internet’s first global memes.
—Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 20 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for deadpan
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deadpan
Adjective
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Dom Luszczyszyn,
New York Times,
10 Apr. 2026
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The fight is over quaint philosophical concepts such as legacy, standards, inspiration, talent, and whether any of those things actually play into channeling the divine onto a blank canvas.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
9 Apr. 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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Charlie's Angels centered on three private investigators who, under orders from their enigmatic but never visible boss, Charlie Townsend, solved cases together using their wits and style.—
Meredith Wilshere,
PEOPLE,
11 Apr. 2026
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An investigation by The New York Times used biographical details and writing style comparisons to make the case that Adam Back was the cryptocurrency’s enigmatic founder.—
Chas Newkey-Burden,
TheWeek,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Bakri’s face is impassive and exhausted during this casual debasement, his voice low, and his tone deadpan, as though Salim has been forced to do all this a million times before.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
24 Mar. 2026
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Dressed in a blue sweatshirt and surrounded by court officers, Henderson remained impassive.—
Corky Siemaszko,
NBC news,
7 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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At the outset, Martin (William Giammona) is as stolid as a piece of furniture, standing stock still at center stage, the black rectangle through which the other actors enter and exit like a deep void behind him.—
Steven Winn,
San Francisco Chronicle,
3 Apr. 2026
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During Saturn and Pluto’s sextile, your cautious 8th house and your stolid 6th house combine delicate topics with practical know-how.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
28 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Deadpan.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deadpan. Accessed 17 Apr. 2026.
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