1
as in lethal
likely to cause or capable of causing death
the doctors were alarmed about the outbreak of the deadly new virus
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sheer
having no exceptions or restrictions
the deadly tedium of waiting for the fog to lift
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in mortal
of, relating to, or suggestive of death
a deadly pallor spread across her face as the tragic news gradually sank in
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in extremely
to a great degree
I'm deadly serious about making an offer on the house
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of deadly
Brian Sherrod, CBS News, 4 May 2026
Here's what to know about the potentially deadly bacterium.
—Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 4 May 2026
Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 31 Mar. 2026
This involves a trip behind the Iron Curtain, where cultural misunderstandings can quickly turn deadly serious.
—Entertainment Weekly, 10 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for deadly
Adjective
Dieck's use of deadly force was deemed justified by a critical response team, the 18th Judicial District Attorney, and an internal Aurora Police Department investigation.
—Brian Sherrod, CBS News, 4 May 2026
Here's what to know about the potentially deadly bacterium.
—Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 4 May 2026
Adverb
The weekslong deadly and escalating conflict in the Middle East has amplified those fears.
—Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 31 Mar. 2026
This involves a trip behind the Iron Curtain, where cultural misunderstandings can quickly turn deadly serious.
—Entertainment Weekly, 10 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for deadly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deadly
Adjective
-
Little in the past acknowledged his preference for lethal injection between the two methods, sharing concerns over the impacts on corrections officials from participating in a firing squad execution.—
Kevin Fixler
April 29,
Idaho Statesman,
29 Apr. 2026
-
But as the data shows, violence is largely concentrated among a small number of individuals and increasingly smaller, yet no less violent and lethal, groups of street gangs and crews.—
Andrew S. Boutros,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
What strikes fear into the hearts of overseas rivals is the sheer scale of production in China, where automakers can rely on deep domestic supply chains and have automated their factories.—
Simone McCarthy,
CNN Money,
2 May 2026
-
Every year, the level of talent and sheer ability seems more outrageous.—
Dan Stahl,
New Yorker,
1 May 2026
Adjective
-
But James has been much more mortal in the two games since, and the Lakers have lost both.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Yet there’s wisdom amid the silliness, as the story gently makes a case for the necessity of grief, mindfulness and mortal awareness, even in a life otherwise unburdened by adult human responsibility.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
27 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
These special releases can be extremely valuable, especially if only a small batch is issued.—
Nina Derwin,
Martha Stewart,
30 Apr. 2026
-
The innermost region of any solar system, closest to the parent star, will be extremely hot and subject to large amounts of radiation.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Homicide detectives are investigating the fatal shootings of three adults in Baldwin Park last week — two of whom were a married couple, officials said, who were being mourned by their college-age children.—
Karen Garcia,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Police have arrested a man on murder and firearm charges in connection with a fatal shooting in Stratford earlier this month.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
In the ’90s, Garber developed a reputation for intellectual risk-taking with a series of psychoanalytically inflected books on topics including cross-dressing, real estate, and Americans’ reliance on dogs for unconditional love.—
Charlie Tyson,
The Atlantic,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Hinckley was institutionalized for more than 30 years before the courts ruled that he’d been rehabilitated and granted him unconditional release in 2022.—
Brian Niemietz,
New York Daily News,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
In 2023, a 13-year-old student shot dead nine children and a school guard at a school in Belgrade, Serbia.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
3 May 2026
-
Lisa Demuth, the speaker of the House, said Freiberg’s preposterous bill was dead on arrival.—
Joe Soucheray,
Twin Cities,
2 May 2026
Adverb
-
And yes, in 2026, rage coming from either side of the aisle is an incredibly powerful tool for marketing.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
28 Apr. 2026
-
But there’s something incredibly unnatural about the fast attention of the internet.—
Charlie Harding,
Vulture,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Deadly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deadly. Accessed 5 May. 2026.
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