variants also kaputt
Definition of kaputnext
1
as in done
facing certain defeat, disaster, or death once the Germans were forced to retreat from Stalingrad, the Nazi cause was kaput

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
3

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 kaput Her campaign was supposedly kaput. Los Angeles Times, 28 Jan. 2026 Gunn tells Deadline, that The Authority is not kaput. Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 27 Sep. 2025 Kelly Reilly, who plays Beth Dutton, seems adamant that the OG Yellowstone is kaput. Bethy Squires, Vulture, 15 Dec. 2024 Now all three of those competitors are kaput, felled by runs on deposits during the biggest banking crisis in a decade and a half. Rob Copeland, New York Times, 14 June 2023 The Stooges are now functionally kaput—of the original lineup, only Pop is left. Amanda Petrusich, The New Yorker, 26 Aug. 2019 At least not on Sunday afternoon, nearly a full two days after the Clippers were supposed to be done, finished, as kaput as the Kings – those in Sacramento and Los Angeles. Jeff Miller, Orange County Register, 29 Apr. 2017 The damages for that less-than-brilliant marketing idea could be as much as $120 million, meaning the company as a whole is pretty much financially kaput. Susan Arendt, WIRED, 14 Mar. 2007
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kaput
Adjective
  • George Clooney and Mark Wahlberg portrayed Gloucester fisherman on the doomed Andrea Gail.
    Chadd Scott, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026
  • Their desperate hope, their cruel denial still weigh on this nation’s soul 87 years later, though most Americans only caught glimpses of the doomed passengers through news reels.
    Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 June 2026
Adjective
  • The professors were bitter and angry—angry at a university, a state, and a country where their fields of study were regarded as obsolete, useful only for padding the schedules of STEM students or as a backstop for STEM burnouts.
    Ann Manov, Harpers Magazine, 30 June 2026
  • All devices will eventually become obsolete and be disposed of, but until such time, the connectivity models mean that almost all products are now IoT devices and require whole-life management.
    Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
Adjective
  • The Orange County District Attorney’s Office has opened an investigation into the owner of a malfunctioning chemical storage tank in Garden Grove that has forced the evacuation of tens of thousands of residents as fire crews race to avoid an explosion.
    Sean Emery, Oc Register, 24 May 2026
  • Despite the accomplishments, Artemis II astronauts had to contend with a more mundane problem -- a malfunctioning space toilet.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 12 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • His choices allow the viewer to drink in the intimate details of the ruined world.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • The Spanish is archaic, the intonations are complicated, and the words tumble over themselves like a hard charge toward the goal posts.
    Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 25 June 2026
  • For golf cart operators, that evolution absolutely begins by ditching archaic lead-acid relics engineered for a bygone era.
    Malana VanTyler, USA Today, 24 June 2026
Adjective
  • If Rice and new running back Kenneth Walker can serve as the team’s early down answers that keep defenses honest, that should open up opportunity for Mahomes to finally see some open looks downfield again.
    Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 3 July 2026
  • While last year was a down year compared to the year before, Ovechkin still appeared in all 82 games and potted 64 points, with 32 goals and 32 assists.
    Matt Reigle OutKick, FOXNews.com, 2 July 2026
Adjective
  • In my experience, mid-market companies operate with leaner teams and cannot absorb the sunk costs of a multi-month implementation with room for scope creep, reworks and failures.
    Prathamesh Bhingarde, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026
  • Then there’s the sunk cost of picks already spent trying to find The Guy — picks that weren’t used for help up front for Bedard.
    Shayna Goldman, New York Times, 24 June 2026
Adjective
  • By wrapping antiquated infrastructure in agentic interfaces, these workers can unlock near-native operational efficiency without a risky, catastrophic core system overhaul.
    Barney Krishnan, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
  • But what, exactly, is that robot doing watching fireworks next to a little boy and a man in antiquated garb?
    Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 29 June 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

“Kaput.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kaput. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster