dead 1 of 3

adjective

ˈded How to pronounce dead (audio)
Definition of deadnext
1
as in deceased
no longer living I inherited this heirloom from my dead great-grandfather

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2
as in slow
lacking in gaiety, movement, or animation the store is often dead after 4:00 p.m.

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3
as in tired
depleted in strength, energy, or freshness a long day of traveling left them just dead

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4
as in absolute
having no exceptions or restrictions there was a dead silence following that incredibly moving performance

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5
as in numb
lacking in sensation or feeling my foot was dead after I absentmindedly sat on it for an hour

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6
as in extinct
no longer existing the dead Babylonian culture

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7
as in dormant
not being in a state of use, activity, or employment local coal mines that have been dead for years

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8
as in deadly
of, relating to, or suggestive of death fell into a dead faint upon hearing the news

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9
as in doomed
facing certain defeat, disaster, or death if we don't finish this project on time, we're dead

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10
as in bland
lacking in taste or flavor from the first sip I could tell that the wine hadn't aged well and was pretty much dead

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11
as in barren
producing inferior or only a small amount of vegetation the dead wastes of the far country to the west

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dead

2 of 3

adverb

1
as in straight
in a direct line or course the finish line is dead ahead

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2
as in completely
to a full extent or degree I'm dead certain that's the one I want

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dead

3 of 3

noun

as in death
the state of being dead it's impossible to raise someone from the dead

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Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective dead contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of dead are deceased, defunct, departed, and late. While all these words mean "devoid of life," dead applies literally to what is deprived of vital force but is used figuratively of anything that has lost any attribute (such as energy, activity, radiance) suggesting life.

a dead, listless performance

How does the word deceased relate to other synonyms for dead?

Deceased, departed, and late apply to persons who have died recently. Deceased is the preferred term in legal use.

the estate of the deceased

When is it sensible to use defunct instead of dead?

The words defunct and dead are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, defunct stresses cessation of active existence or operation.

a defunct television series

Where would departed be a reasonable alternative to dead?

The synonyms departed and dead are sometimes interchangeable, but departed is used usually as a euphemism.

our departed sister

When might late be a better fit than dead?

Although the words late and dead have much in common, late is used especially with reference to a person in a specific relation or status.

the company's late president

How does the adjective dead contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of dead are deceased, defunct, departed, and late. While all these words mean "devoid of life," dead applies literally to what is deprived of vital force but is used figuratively of anything that has lost any attribute (such as energy, activity, radiance) suggesting life.

a dead, listless performance

How does the word deceased relate to other synonyms for dead?

Deceased, departed, and late apply to persons who have died recently. Deceased is the preferred term in legal use.

the estate of the deceased

When is it sensible to use defunct instead of dead?

The words defunct and dead are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, defunct stresses cessation of active existence or operation.

a defunct television series

Where would departed be a reasonable alternative to dead?

The synonyms departed and dead are sometimes interchangeable, but departed is used usually as a euphemism.

our departed sister

When might late be a better fit than dead?

Although the words late and dead have much in common, late is used especially with reference to a person in a specific relation or status.

the company's late president

How does the adjective dead contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of dead are deceased, defunct, departed, and late. While all these words mean "devoid of life," dead applies literally to what is deprived of vital force but is used figuratively of anything that has lost any attribute (such as energy, activity, radiance) suggesting life.

a dead, listless performance

How does the word deceased relate to other synonyms for dead?

Deceased, departed, and late apply to persons who have died recently. Deceased is the preferred term in legal use.

the estate of the deceased

When is it sensible to use defunct instead of dead?

The words defunct and dead are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, defunct stresses cessation of active existence or operation.

a defunct television series

Where would departed be a reasonable alternative to dead?

The synonyms departed and dead are sometimes interchangeable, but departed is used usually as a euphemism.

our departed sister

When might late be a better fit than dead?

Although the words late and dead have much in common, late is used especially with reference to a person in a specific relation or status.

the company's late president

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 dead
Adjective
Cantu was shot in the chest and was pronounced dead at the scene. —Amy McDaniel, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Feb. 2026 The shooting at Apalachee High in Winder, Georgia, on September 4, 2024, left four people dead and nine injured. —Eric Levenson, CNN Money, 28 Feb. 2026
Adverb
The place was ordered to be dead silent. —Letters To The Editor, Hartford Courant, 15 Feb. 2026 The Raiders ranked dead last in rushing success rate and sack rate. —The Athletic Nfl Staff, New York Times, 12 Feb. 2026
Noun
As governments separately attempt to get to the bottom of both attacks, the citizens of Delhi and Islamabad are left cleaning up the debris and mourning their dead. —Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 12 Nov. 2025 Four people were arrested in Conway on Tuesday in relation to a Saturday shooting that left a 17-year-old dead, a news release from Conway police says. —Arkansas Online, 21 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for dead
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dead
  1. deceased
  2. slow
  3. tired
  4. absolute
  5. numb
  6. extinct
  7. dormant
  8. deadly
Adjective
  • Chavismo is the term Venezuelans use to describe the regime first established by deceased strongman Hugo Chavez.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 3 Mar. 2026
  • Ghostface may remain financially dominant and culturally unavoidable, but the franchise’s latest chapter suggests the mask’s legacy is becoming creatively disposable… if not deceased.
    — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 2 Mar. 2026
Definition of deceased
Adjective
  • Council members LaWana Slack-Mayfield, Malcolm Graham and Joi Mayo, whose west Charlotte District 3 contains most of the affected part of I-77, pressed the agency on its slow responses to their questions, asked in November, shortly after NCDOT released its maps for the first time.
    — Nick Sullivan, Charlotte Observer, 6 Mar. 2026
  • The jokes and musical bits are amusing but not groundbreaking, and the story is too light and slow to have a real impact.
    — Rachel Simon, Vulture, 6 Mar. 2026
Definition of slow
Adjective
  • Simmons said Tarrant families are tired of O’Hare’s bullying, silencing and antics.
    — Rachel Royster March 5, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Mar. 2026
  • His poor metrics are the result of the Panthers looking tired and worn down in front of him, and Bobrovsky not being consistently at his absolute best.
    — Jesse Granger, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2026
Definition of tired
Adjective
  • A number of Sprüth artists were in attendance, including Jon Rafman and Ryan Trecartin, who has an absolute banger of a show with his artistic partner, Lizzie Fitch, opening this week at Morán Morán.
    — Nate Freeman, Vanity Fair, 28 Feb. 2026
  • Finding the absolute best deals on top-tier products at retailers like TJ Maxx and Marshalls.
    — Julia Morlino, Travel + Leisure, 27 Feb. 2026
Definition of absolute
Adjective
  • The public at large is gradually becoming numb to our Palantirized surveillance state, and American communities are responding to the militarization of federal law enforcement with their own increasingly intricate webs of sousveillance.
    — Sarah Jeong, The Verge, 1 Mar. 2026
  • Do not rub any affected area or use a heating pad or another device like a hairdryer to warm the skin because the person's skin may be numb and doing so may cause more damage to the skin.
    — Yi-Jin Yu, ABC News, 23 Feb. 2026
Definition of numb
Adjective
  • Today, four are extinct and seven are endangered or threatened.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 26 Feb. 2026
  • Bitter Guana Cay in the Bahamas is home to the rare Exuma Island iguana, a nearly extinct species found nowhere else in the world.
    — Madeline Weinfield, Travel + Leisure, 26 Feb. 2026
Definition of extinct
Adjective
  • First, temperatures are much more moderate for outdoor work, the ground is usually moist after winter rains, and the shrub is dormant.
    — Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 1 Mar. 2026
  • Once non-native seeds are no longer a threat to germinate, native seeds that can lay dormant for decades will have exclusive access to winter rain.
    — Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 28 Feb. 2026
Definition of dormant
Adjective
  • Highways were jammed overnight and into Monday with people fleeing after what was Israel's deadliest barrage on Lebanon in more than a year, striking hours after Hezbollah fired missiles across the border for the first time in more than a year.
    — FADI TAWIL, Arkansas Online, 3 Mar. 2026
  • The deadly attack is among 56 mass shootings in the US so far this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive.
    — Amanda Musa, CNN Money, 2 Mar. 2026
Definition of deadly

Phrases Containing dead

Browse Nearby Words

deactivating
dead
deadbeat
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Cite this Entry

“Dead.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dead. Accessed 7 Mar. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on dead

Nglish: Translation of dead for Spanish Speakers

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