dead 1 of 3

adjective

ˈded How to pronounce dead (audio)
Definition of deadnext
1
as in deceased
no longer living I inherited this heirloom from my dead great-grandfather

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2
as in slow
lacking in gaiety, movement, or animation the store is often dead after 4:00 p.m.

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3
as in tired
depleted in strength, energy, or freshness a long day of traveling left them just dead

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4
as in absolute
having no exceptions or restrictions there was a dead silence following that incredibly moving performance

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5
as in numb
lacking in sensation or feeling my foot was dead after I absentmindedly sat on it for an hour

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6
as in extinct
no longer existing the dead Babylonian culture

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7
as in dormant
not being in a state of use, activity, or employment local coal mines that have been dead for years

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8
as in deadly
of, relating to, or suggestive of death fell into a dead faint upon hearing the news

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9
as in doomed
facing certain defeat, disaster, or death if we don't finish this project on time, we're dead

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10
as in bland
lacking in taste or flavor from the first sip I could tell that the wine hadn't aged well and was pretty much dead

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11
as in barren
producing inferior or only a small amount of vegetation the dead wastes of the far country to the west

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dead

2 of 3

adverb

1
as in straight
in a direct line or course the finish line is dead ahead

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2
as in completely
to a full extent or degree I'm dead certain that's the one I want

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dead

3 of 3

noun

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

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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

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

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
One person was pronounced dead at the scene. —Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 4 Apr. 2026 At least four people are dead after a plane crashed into a restaurant in Brazil. —Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 4 Apr. 2026
Adverb
Police found Doukoullos dead inside but investigators believe the beachfront home developer may have been dead for several days, according to police and court filings. —Los Angeles Times, 18 Mar. 2026 The 49ers ranked dead last in sacks in 2025 after losing Bosa in September with the third ACL tear of his football career (his first came in high school). —Chris Biderman march 3, Sacbee.com, 3 Mar. 2026
Noun
Citizens commune not just with deceased relatives but with the undifferentiated mass of anonymous dead. —Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025 The shooting left two 8-year-olds and a 14-year-old dead, PEOPLE previously reported. —Sean Neumann, PEOPLE, 3 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for dead
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dead
  1. deceased
  2. slow
  3. tired
  4. absolute
  5. numb
  6. extinct
  7. dormant
  8. deadly
Adjective
  • Ziva breaks down sobbing, cradling her deceased father.
    — Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2026
  • Saturday, sheriff’s deputies were called to the area of Roxbury and Westford roads for a man who was found deceased, McFalls said.
    — Post-Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 31 Mar. 2026
Definition of deceased
Adjective
  • In fact, businesses hired workers at their slowest pace since 2011, excluding the onset of the pandemic in 2020.
    — Morgan Chittum, CNBC, 3 Apr. 2026
  • The area’s large tourist population contributes a constant volume of unfamiliar drivers to already heavily congested roads, with traffic patterns that shift significantly between peak tourist season and the summer months but never truly slow to manageable levels on the area’s major corridors.
    — Anton Lucanus April 3, Miami Herald, 3 Apr. 2026
Definition of slow
Adjective
  • For workers who are tired of their jobs following them home every night, and for businesses that are tired of the burnout, the turnover, and the chaos that comes from not having boundaries, Zenzap is the work chat app that changes everything.
    — Jason Phillips, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2026
  • One still gets tired of the Wednesday rice and fish dish.
    — Jeremy O. Harris, Vanity Fair, 1 Apr. 2026
Definition of tired
Adjective
  • These are the absolute best bonds.
    — Rita Perwich, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Apr. 2026
  • But this team’s elite farm system — perhaps the absolute top in the NHL — will provide exactly that in the years to come.
    — Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 3 Apr. 2026
Definition of absolute
Adjective
  • The roof is a manual Sky Slider design that feels a lot more on-brand than a numb push-button.
    — Caleb Jacobs, The Drive, 26 Mar. 2026
  • Over time, your extremities go numb, which indicates the beginning of frostbite.
    — Brad Stulberg, Outside, 26 Mar. 2026
Definition of numb
Adjective
  • The Orange County Transportation Authority has said half of the public agency’s bus routes travel through the city, shadowing 75% of ATN’s routes, with the remaining of the soon-to-be-extinct routes within walking distance of existing OC Bus stops.
    — Victoria Le, Oc Register, 28 Mar. 2026
  • And while many are extinct or dormant, two of them, Kīlauea and Mauna Loa, are still capable of destructive and deadly eruptions.
    — Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 27 Mar. 2026
Definition of extinct
Adjective
  • After a recent arrest in the long-dormant case, some agents say the barrage of threats persist — and not enough is done to protect them.
    — Kayla Hayempour, NBC news, 30 Mar. 2026
  • Following 26 dormant innings to start the season, the Giants had an opportunity to tie the game in the bottom of the ninth against All-Star closer David Bednar.
    — Justice delos Santos, Mercury News, 29 Mar. 2026
Definition of dormant
Adjective
  • State inspectors had never once visited the Esparto facility before the deadly blast; that responsibility fell only to local authorities, until now.
    — Ashley Sharp, CBS News, 31 Mar. 2026
  • Are all fungi dangerous or deadly?
    — Brandi D. Addison, USA Today, 30 Mar. 2026
Definition of deadly

Phrases Containing dead

Browse Nearby Words

deactivating
dead
deadbeat
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Cite this Entry

“Dead.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dead. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on dead

Nglish: Translation of dead for Spanish Speakers

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