1
as in disaster
something that has failed
our first attempt was a complete dud, so we had to start over
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in clothes
duds plural
covering for the human body
those are some pretty fancy duds you're wearing
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in things
duds plural
transportable items that one owns
you have one hour to pack up your duds and clear out of here
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in defective
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
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 dud
Jacob Stern,
The Atlantic,
17 June 2026
Much like the stock market as a whole, a successful investment portfolio typically has exceptional stocks that more than overcome the subpar returns of the duds.
—
Bill Stone,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2026
Tim Graham,
New York Times,
1 Jan. 2026
Duplass’ Michael is a dud, sorta sweet but totally spineless.
—
Angie Han,
The Hollywood Reporter,
18 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dud
Noun
Pixar can’t leave its toys behind, either (as the release of the 2022 spin-off, Lightyear—a box-office and critical dud—drove home).
—
Jacob Stern,
The Atlantic,
17 June 2026
Much like the stock market as a whole, a successful investment portfolio typically has exceptional stocks that more than overcome the subpar returns of the duds.
—
Bill Stone,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2026
Adjective
In a dud finale against the Detroit Lions in 1991, Wolford got rolled up and suffered a high-ankle sprain that hobbled him throughout the postseason.
—
Tim Graham,
New York Times,
1 Jan. 2026
Duplass’ Michael is a dud, sorta sweet but totally spineless.
—
Angie Han,
The Hollywood Reporter,
18 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dud
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dud
Noun
-
Given the scale of the disaster, specialized teams from the United States, Mexico, Colombia, Spain, and other countries began mobilizing toward Venezuela in coordination with local authorities and the United Nations.
-
It was declared a disaster zone and militarized on Thursday.
Noun
-
The best Prime Day clothing deals tend to change day by day, so check back in over the course of the event to shop all the newest and most exciting markdowns.
-
Of course, those who’ve shopped the sale before know that many of the best Amazon Prime Day deals aren’t in the clothing department at all.
Noun
-
In fact, many of us often end up buying things that our colleagues found during their search.
-
And don't forget to follow Allure on Instagram and TikTok, or subscribe to our newsletter to stay up to date on all things beauty.
Adjective
-
The rash was much milder in mice bred with defective itch-sensing nerve cells.
-
The plaintiffs have also accused Bayer of negligence and misrepresentation of Roundup's safety in its marketing, and have alleged that the product was defective for its intended purpose.
Noun
-
Taking the midway point of those numbers, an opening weekend of $45 million would be a monumental failure.
-
Then came this spring’s historic and devastating floods across northern Michigan — in some areas, for the first time anyone can remember — swamping homes, pushing dams to the brink of failure and washing out roadways.
Noun
-
In the last three months alone, Depop searches for babydoll dresses have increased by 144%, Y2K low- rise jeans by 102%, and peep toe heels by 108%, according to the platform.
-
For Rome, Zendaya went archival, wearing a stunning beaded spiderweb dress from Giorgio Armani (spring ’90) and a shimmering Versace crop top and skirt (fall ’97).
Noun
-
Addam has a dragon and got to swoop in after all the fighting for the warm and fuzzy stuff.
-
Tackle one section of a room at a time—a nightstand, dresser, desk, or medicine cabinet—to help give more structure and direction when working in with lots of stuff.
Adjective
-
Lacking exposure to new knowledge can feel quite unsatisfactory.
-
Anything less is considered unsatisfactory.
Cite this Entry
“Dud.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dud. Accessed 1 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
