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Definition of deadnext
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as in doomed
facing certain defeat, disaster, or death if we don't finish this project on time, we're dead

Synonyms & Similar Words

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dead

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adverb

dead

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noun

as in death
the state of being dead it's impossible to raise someone from the dead

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective dead contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of dead are deceased, defunct, departed, and late. While all these words mean "devoid of life," dead applies literally to what is deprived of vital force but is used figuratively of anything that has lost any attribute (such as energy, activity, radiance) suggesting life.

a dead, listless performance

How does the word deceased relate to other synonyms for dead?

Deceased, departed, and late apply to persons who have died recently. Deceased is the preferred term in legal use.

the estate of the deceased

When is it sensible to use defunct instead of dead?

The words defunct and dead are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, defunct stresses cessation of active existence or operation.

a defunct television series

Where would departed be a reasonable alternative to dead?

The synonyms departed and dead are sometimes interchangeable, but departed is used usually as a euphemism.

our departed sister

When might late be a better fit than dead?

Although the words late and dead have much in common, late is used especially with reference to a person in a specific relation or status.

the company's late president

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 dead
Adjective
But both are good at solving crimes, and here in season 2, Eddie is reluctantly stuck in her hometown when an arm turns up in the mouth of a dead alligator, and many more body parts arrive over time. Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 16 May 2026 Deputies found a 36-year-old man with gunshot wounds dead inside the residence, according to Capt. Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 16 May 2026
Adverb
This has to be dead serious now. Sarah Rodman, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Apr. 2026 State data indicate the district’s average teacher earns $84,000 a year, ranking dead last in a list topped by the average San Leandro Unified teacher, whose annual salary is about $129,000. Shomik Mukherjee, Mercury News, 7 Apr. 2026
Noun
The Platte County Sheriff’s Office has released more details into Sunday’s fiery car crash in rural Platte County that left one Park Hill High School senior dead. Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 27 Mar. 2026 Officers met with medics at the scene who declared an adult female dead. Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 18 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for dead
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dead
Adjective
  • In that release, MCSO included photos of bones and skulls, presumably of deceased bison, and presumably taken on the Lay Valley property.
    Logan Smith, CBS News, 18 May 2026
  • The landscaper came under gunfire about two blocks from where the suspects in the Islamic center shooting were found deceased.
    James Powel, USA Today, 18 May 2026
Adjective
  • Pool service can be a bit slow during busy times, but once your perfectly prepared daiquiri arrives, all is forgiven.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 May 2026
  • So future agreements could involve cooler normalisation, selective security cooperation, quieter diplomacy and a slower expansion.
    Chas Newkey-Burden, TheWeek, 15 May 2026
Adjective
  • The film, which stars Hannah Einbinder as a filmmaker tasked with revamping a tired summer camp horror franchise with its cryptic lead played by Gillian Anderson in tow, is set to make its way to theaters this August.
    Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 14 May 2026
  • Each day, after teaching classes for a local extension office, taking online courses and caring for everyone, Denise is just tired.
    Jayme Fraser, USA Today, 14 May 2026
Adjective
  • There are alternative routes for vessels if Malacca is blocked, meaning a closure could prove more of an inconvenience than an absolute barrier to trade.
    Mithil Aggarwal, NBC news, 16 May 2026
  • The Sabich case became an absolute sensation in the media, not just in America but also globally, and Longet was internationally labeled Aspen’s femme fatale.
    Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 15 May 2026
Adjective
  • The Florida woman said her arm went numb and her face began to droop.
    Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 16 May 2026
  • The steering, however, is numb and the handling is competent but uninspiring.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 2 May 2026
Adjective
  • Finally, for sweeping sea views, book a stay at coastal Therasia Resort near the extinct Vulcanello.
    Nicky Swallow, Travel + Leisure, 17 May 2026
  • The second phase came later with brain expansion Using evolutionary models, the researchers estimated handedness in extinct human relatives.
    Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 16 May 2026
Adjective
  • On the eighth, an older dormant function remained active and began generating unintended trades when markets opened.
    Aditya Vikram Kashyap, Forbes.com, 18 May 2026
  • Granted, Becerra has had a hard week, with a gaffe with a reporter that went viral and a plea deal by a former aide in that case of money misappropriated from his dormant campaign account.
    Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 15 May 2026
Adjective
  • Hassane spoke at the afternoon news conference about the deadly attack at his institution this morning, decrying the conditions that could create such violence.
    Dennis Romero, NBC news, 19 May 2026
  • The most severe form of Legionella bacteria infection leads to Legionnaires’ disease, a serious and potentially deadly type of pneumonia, the CDC says.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 18 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Dead.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dead. Accessed 21 May. 2026.

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