1
as in deadly
of, relating to, or suggestive of death
his deathly pallor suggested that any attempt to find a pulse would be futile
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in lethal
likely to cause or capable of causing death
smallpox is one deathly disease that medical science has been able to conquer
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of deathly
The deathly avalanche between Camp 2 and Camp 3 always scared me.
—
Ben Ayers, Outside Online, 10 Apr. 2025
Californians must rise and reclaim our Golden State from the deathly and devastating grip of endless bureaucratic cancer.
—Stepheny Price, Fox News, 27 Jan. 2025
Californians must rise and reclaim our Golden State from the deathly and devastating grip of endless bureaucratic cancer.
—Stepheny Price, Fox News, 27 Jan. 2025
For all of those thousands of collegiate Olympians past and present, the roar of the football crowd will be drowned out by the deathly silence of their shuttered programs.
—Mike Bianchi, Orlando Sentinel, 24 July 2024
Gomez has co-led the Hulu series alongside Steve Martin and Martin Short since its 2021 debut, as a band of neighbors who join forces to solve deathly mysteries unfolding around them.
—Joey Nolfi, EW.com, 17 July 2024
The deathly gossip started as St. Patrick’s Day rumo(u)rs that the BBC was on standby for an announcement from the royal family and government buildings were flying flags at half-mast.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 18 Mar. 2024
While attempting to return to their present, a cryptic force emerges and traps them on a strange plot of land, giving them a deathly ultimatum in order to escape.
—Caroline Brew, Variety, 28 Feb. 2024
The chill of her announcement is accentuated by Muhly’s orchestration, in which bass clarinet, contrabassoon, harp, and cello perform a deathly turn from E major to G minor.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 14 Aug. 2023
Ben Ayers, Outside Online, 10 Apr. 2025
Californians must rise and reclaim our Golden State from the deathly and devastating grip of endless bureaucratic cancer.
—Stepheny Price, Fox News, 27 Jan. 2025
Californians must rise and reclaim our Golden State from the deathly and devastating grip of endless bureaucratic cancer.
—Stepheny Price, Fox News, 27 Jan. 2025
For all of those thousands of collegiate Olympians past and present, the roar of the football crowd will be drowned out by the deathly silence of their shuttered programs.
—Mike Bianchi, Orlando Sentinel, 24 July 2024
Gomez has co-led the Hulu series alongside Steve Martin and Martin Short since its 2021 debut, as a band of neighbors who join forces to solve deathly mysteries unfolding around them.
—Joey Nolfi, EW.com, 17 July 2024
The deathly gossip started as St. Patrick’s Day rumo(u)rs that the BBC was on standby for an announcement from the royal family and government buildings were flying flags at half-mast.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 18 Mar. 2024
While attempting to return to their present, a cryptic force emerges and traps them on a strange plot of land, giving them a deathly ultimatum in order to escape.
—Caroline Brew, Variety, 28 Feb. 2024
The chill of her announcement is accentuated by Muhly’s orchestration, in which bass clarinet, contrabassoon, harp, and cello perform a deathly turn from E major to G minor.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 14 Aug. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deathly
Adjective
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Meanwhile, Russia is making steady gains in Ukraine, and Putin is preparing a summer offensive that could be the deadliest of the war so far, an expert has assessed.—
Isabel van Brugen,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 May 2025
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Drone video shows tornadoes' damage in Kentucky morning after deadly storms 01:30 4.—
Jade Walker,
CNN Money,
19 May 2025
Adjective
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The serial killer sat on death row for 14 years before execution by lethal injection on May 10, 1994, at age 52.—
Andrew Nodell,
People.com,
9 May 2025
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Autopsy reports for two previous executions by lethal injection indicated both prisoners required multiple doses of the sedative pentobarbital to die, and the process took more than 10 minutes.—
Chiara Eisner,
NPR,
8 May 2025
Adjective
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Ex-Presidents have a tricky relationship with relevance after leaving the White House, and Biden’s re-entry into the mortal world is still a work in progress.—
Philip Elliott,
Time,
8 May 2025
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If one chapter of your mortal span—your wartime experience, or a love affair—has pierced you more sharply than any other, why shouldn’t that chapter go up front?—
Anthony Lane,
New Yorker,
5 May 2025
Adjective
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From cold cases cracked decades later to trials still underway, here are 18 fatal crimes that occurred at colleges and universities.—
Corin Cesaric,
People.com,
18 May 2025
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The killing is Kansas City’s 60th homicide this year, according to data maintained by The Star, which includes fatal police shootings.—
Kendrick Calfee,
Kansas City Star,
17 May 2025
Adjective
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First responders pulled Boutwell out of the car and realized another person was dead under the vehicle, according to the sheriff, who added that the person who shot Boutwell is responsible for Jones’ death as well.—
Olivia Lloyd,
Miami Herald,
13 May 2025
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According to the Orange County Sheriff's Department, the officer found a dead male victim in the front seat of Kraft’s vehicle along with empty beer bottles and an open bottle of the sedative medication Lorazepam.—
Marc Ramirez,
USA Today,
13 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Deathly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deathly. Accessed 22 May. 2025.
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