kaput

adjective

kə-ˈpu̇t How to pronounce kaput (audio)
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

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2
as in obsolete
having passed its time of use or usefulness hard-line Soviet-style Communism became kaput in Russia

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in malfunctioning
not being in working order the heating system went kaput on the coldest day of the year

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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
  1. doomed
  2. obsolete
  3. malfunctioning
  4. ruined
  5. archaic
  6. down
  7. sunk
  8. antiquated
Adjective
  • His untimely death set the template for the doomed, dissolute musician.
    — David A. Graham, The Atlantic, 2 July 2026
  • George Clooney and Mark Wahlberg portrayed Gloucester fisherman on the doomed Andrea Gail.
    — Chadd Scott, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026
Definition of doomed
Adjective
  • As vehicles age, OE on-board hardware becomes obsolete as cellular providers replace older technology and automakers stop investing in aging back-end stacks and features.
    — Michael Harley, ArsTechnica, 21 July 2026
  • Congress empowered this group of experts because its leadership recognized obsolete military bases needed to be closed or consolidated but individual lawmakers would inevitably block any changes to protect their home state facilities.
    — Howard Gleckman, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026
Definition of obsolete
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
Definition of malfunctioning
Adjective
  • Sitting on the rim of his consciousness was always cataclysm, the muted whisper of a ruined world.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 July 2026
Definition of ruined
Adjective
  • And yet, despite these numbers, hurdles as seemingly archaic as international mailing addresses have long hampered small-business owners in digital banking.
    — Eyal Lifshitz, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026
  • 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
Definition of archaic
Adjective
  • Stock futures are sliding this morning following a down session yesterday.
    — Alex Harring, CNBC, 17 July 2026
  • McMichael might be coming off a down season statistically, but he’s produced in the past with a 26-goal, 57-point season two years ago.
    — Jeremy Rutherford, New York Times, 16 July 2026
Definition of down
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
Definition of sunk
Adjective
  • But Merrywood’s charms, both elegant and antiquated, might face the wrecking ball later this year.
    — Brian Bell, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 July 2026
  • During his Superman press tour last year, Nicholas Hoult paraded around New York City wearing oversized totes, including the Prada Buckle antiquated leather bag.
    — Daisy Maldonado, InStyle, 10 July 2026
Definition of antiquated

Browse Nearby Words

kaolins
kaput
karakul
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Cite this Entry

“Kaput.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kaput. Accessed 22 Jul. 2026.

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