DEATHBLOW Synonyms: 39 Similar and Opposite Words

deathblow

noun

Definition of deathblow

as in confutation

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as in calamity

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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 deathblow The death blow came on the heels and in comes in advance of unprecedented efforts by formerly Confederate states undertaking their own efforts to disenfranchise Black voters through gerrymandering. — Chadd Scott, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026 So why shouldn’t Trump exploit that fragility to land a death blow against a murderous adversary? — Franklin Foer, The Atlantic, 11 Mar. 2026 And in January the administration delivered a death blow to a program that was meant to deploy backup solar and storage systems at hospitals and at 30,000 homes of rural, low-income and medically vulnerable people, according to Latitude Media. — Stephanie Pappas, Scientific American, 9 Feb. 2026 In September, those plans were dealt a death blow when the city council approved amending the municipal zoning code to prohibit timesharing in single-family homes. — Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 15 Dec. 2025 In the view of the movie theater industry trade association Cinema United, the deal — which is still pending regulatory approval and would not go into effect until Q3 next year — represents a death blow to multiplexes. — Chris Lee, Vulture, 5 Dec. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for deathblow

Noun

Nominalism and positivism have deluged the world with vast quantities of little-read scholarship whose underlying rationale is often the confutation of the very possibility of the larger-scale intelligibility of the world.

— M. D. Aeschliman, National Review, 20 Feb. 2022

Definition of confutation

Noun

At the heart of the celebration is Kyoto’s Yasaka Shrine, a Shinto site whose principal deity has long been revered as a protector against calamities.

— ABC News, ABC News, 19 July 2026
With one day to go, DeChambeau’s week has been an electric circus of golf-adjacent calamity.

— Justin Ray, New York Times, 19 July 2026

Definition of calamity

Noun

The group stage laid the groundwork, but the knockout rounds delivered the audience surges that defined this tournament.

— Veronica Villafañe, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026
The decision was later overturned by FIFA, clearing Balogun to play in the United States’ knockout-stage match against Belgium.

— Paloma Chavez, PEOPLE, 22 July 2026

Definition of knockout

Noun

Hundreds of Denver comics also performed there, with nationally touring acts such as Ben Roy and Andrew Orvedahl (Cayton-Holland’s Grawlix partners) and crushers such as Josh Blue, Janae Burris, Troy Walker, and Christie Buchele.

— John Wenzel, Denver Post, 16 July 2026
Adventure bikes have ballooned into 600-pound continent crushers.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 6 July 2026

Definition of crusher

Noun

For the second year in a row, this quiet Hill Country town is digging itself out of a catastrophe that has mercilessly taken a community trying to heal and set them back on the path of mourning.

— Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 20 July 2026
Every child identified before a catastrophe reminds us that statistics represent real people.

— Torie Bosch, STAT, 18 July 2026

Definition of catastrophe

Noun

Adding to Rezaeian’s agony, right before the final whistle another potential clincher, a header from Khalilzadeh, hit the crossbar.

— Sean Gregory, Time, 28 June 2026
Reinhart also has 32 goals across four Stanley Cup playoff runs, scoring the game-winner in Florida’s first Cup clincher in 2024 and scoring four goals in their second Cup clincher in 2025.

— Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 22 June 2026

Definition of clincher

Noun

The Pan American Health Organization has also warned of a prolonged health crisis following the tragedy related to mental health, infectious diseases and poor sanitation.

— Alfie Pannell, Miami Herald, 23 July 2026
Forged in the fire of tragedy, billionaire Bruce Wayne becomes something both more and less than human–the BATMAN.

— Katie Campione, Deadline, 23 July 2026

Definition of tragedy

Browse Nearby Words

death's-heads

deathblow

deathblows

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“Deathblow.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deathblow. Accessed 25 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of deathblow

noun

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