as in blank
not expressing any emotion
he delivered the joke in such a deadpan voice that we thought at first that he was serious
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 deadpan
With her signature deadpan sarcasm and round glasses, Daria critiqued suburban life and the insanity of high school popularity contests with wit and honesty.
—
Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal,
Parents,
22 June 2026
With his signature deadpan humor, Waititi is referencing the book’s beautifully meditative quality.
—
Rebecca Ford,
Vanity Fair,
18 June 2026
Dippold is a veteran of Parks and Recreation, and Widow’s Bay features some excellent workplace comedy bits with deadpan performances from Kate O’Flynn, Dale Dickey, and Jeff Hiller.
—
Stephen Rodrick,
Rolling Stone,
16 June 2026
Actor Efren Ramírez nailed Pedro's laconic, deadpan style that made his promise a hilarious highlight.
—
Danny Horn,
Entertainment Weekly,
11 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for deadpan
Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal,
Parents,
22 June 2026
With his signature deadpan humor, Waititi is referencing the book’s beautifully meditative quality.
—
Rebecca Ford,
Vanity Fair,
18 June 2026
Dippold is a veteran of Parks and Recreation, and Widow’s Bay features some excellent workplace comedy bits with deadpan performances from Kate O’Flynn, Dale Dickey, and Jeff Hiller.
—
Stephen Rodrick,
Rolling Stone,
16 June 2026
Actor Efren Ramírez nailed Pedro's laconic, deadpan style that made his promise a hilarious highlight.
—
Danny Horn,
Entertainment Weekly,
11 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for deadpan
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deadpan
Adjective
-
The computer sat in a corner of the living room, next to his record player, where my brother and I would make mixtapes off his vinyl, using a boombox and blank cassettes.
-
Regina asks point blank why Louis keeps coming to see her, and Louis’ honest.
Adjective
-
The 47-year-old, wearing a blue suit and blue tie, was expressionless as the charges against him were described.
-
The routine calls for this chic, almost expressionless vibe — very different from a typical K-pop performance.
Adjective
-
Naughton joins a cast led by Reeve Carney as the enigmatic Jay Gatsby, Eva Noblezada as Daisy Buchanan and Corbin Bleu as Nick Carraway.
-
Excavations at Rising Star have sparked debate about whether these little hominins had all ended up in the caves by tragic accident, or whether they’d been carefully placed there by other members of their enigmatic species, dubbed Homo naledi.
Adjective
-
Riles’s face is impassive, focused, as the announcer reads out the winner.
-
Unlike the coolly impassive Pop artists, the Who weren’t afraid to get personal, or to let their art echo the anxious, kinky, maladjusted yammering in their own heads.
Adjective
-
Many Labour members hope Burnham’s people skills and charisma can connect with the public more than the stolid, managerial Starmer could ever do.
-
Many Labor members hope Burnham’s people skills and charisma can connect with the public more than the stolid, managerial Starmer could ever do.
Cite this Entry
“Deadpan.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deadpan. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
