as in debris
discarded or useless material
much of the material in the file cabinets is just deadwood
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of deadwood
The pyre was probably built by collecting and assembling at least 30 kilograms of deadwood and grass, which would have required considerable community effort.
—
ArsTechnica, 5 Jan. 2026
Trying to talk sense into him would be useless, however, so a wounded Leroy hands off the dagger to Will and gives him instructions on where to bury it, reasoning that Will and his friends will be able to get to the deadwood without the military spotting them.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 15 Dec. 2025
With Rich's ghostly helping hand, Will, Lilly, Ronnie, and Marge are able to plant the dagger in the deadwood's roots, re-lock the cage, and send It back into one of its 27-year hibernation periods.
—Megan McCluskey, Time, 15 Dec. 2025
The lawsuit states that the branch fell from a tree that was clearly unhealthy, decayed and had deadwood.
—Caleb Lunetta, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for deadwood
ArsTechnica, 5 Jan. 2026
Trying to talk sense into him would be useless, however, so a wounded Leroy hands off the dagger to Will and gives him instructions on where to bury it, reasoning that Will and his friends will be able to get to the deadwood without the military spotting them.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 15 Dec. 2025
With Rich's ghostly helping hand, Will, Lilly, Ronnie, and Marge are able to plant the dagger in the deadwood's roots, re-lock the cage, and send It back into one of its 27-year hibernation periods.
—Megan McCluskey, Time, 15 Dec. 2025
The lawsuit states that the branch fell from a tree that was clearly unhealthy, decayed and had deadwood.
—Caleb Lunetta, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for deadwood
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deadwood
Noun
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The wind and the cars that drive over the pile scatter the debris into neighbors’ lots, commercial property parking areas, etc.—
Jeanne Phillips,
Mercury News,
9 Apr. 2026
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Rake the area free of any residual plant debris.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Knowing what not to put down a garbage disposable can help preserve your appliance and your peace of mind.—
Jamie Cuccinelli,
Martha Stewart,
12 Apr. 2026
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The lack of fuel has worsened the country’s other longtime problems, from pumping water, picking up garbage to producing food, among others.—
Nora Gámez Torres,
Miami Herald,
12 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Stony rubbish, dead trees, the odd corpse in the garden—nothing that couldn’t be absorbed back into the earth.—
Caroline Fraser,
The New York Review of Books,
4 Apr. 2026
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Is all religion rubbish and still ripping us apart…?—
Andy Greene,
Rolling Stone,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
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What to do with the seeds The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture advises people who receive the seeds to double-bag them and put them in a trash bin that goes to a landfill or incinerator.—
Michael Guise,
CBS News,
10 Apr. 2026
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Visit the product recall page on the company's website to register for the recall and follow the instructions on how to request replacement parts, which include uploading a photo showing the original attachment accessories in the trash.—
Michele Laufik,
Martha Stewart,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Why wouldn't you if your press conference du jour was a junk fees settlement with the HungryPanda delivery app?—
Marcia Kramer,
CBS News,
12 Apr. 2026
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Kate Bowler examines the appeal of junk.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Remove dust, cobwebs, and debris using your duster or soft brush.—
Ashley Chalmers,
The Spruce,
12 Apr. 2026
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The suction is strong enough to suck up anything that might finagle its way into your car, including dirt, sand, dust, pet hair, and crumbs.—
Izzy Baskette,
PEOPLE,
12 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Deadwood.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deadwood. Accessed 14 Apr. 2026.
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