as in debris
discarded or useless material
much of the material in the file cabinets is just deadwood
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 deadwood
Bit by bit, deadwood is decomposed, feeding new life along the way.
—
Katarina Zimmer, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 Feb. 2025
Forest fires clear away deadwood to promote new growth; decisive defeat in war creates space for societal transformations.
—Todd Pittinsky, New York Daily News, 23 Mar. 2024
The genus is known to feed on deadwood, dead leaves, leaf litter or lichens, according to Hoare.
—Rina Diane Caballar, Discover Magazine, 12 Nov. 2023
Only the White has the right balance of water, sediment, sandbars with backwaters, sheltering cottonwood forests and pool-forming deadwood to sustain themselves without hatchery help.
—Brandon Loomis, The Arizona Republic, 30 June 2023
See All Example Sentences for deadwood
Katarina Zimmer, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 Feb. 2025
Forest fires clear away deadwood to promote new growth; decisive defeat in war creates space for societal transformations.
—Todd Pittinsky, New York Daily News, 23 Mar. 2024
The genus is known to feed on deadwood, dead leaves, leaf litter or lichens, according to Hoare.
—Rina Diane Caballar, Discover Magazine, 12 Nov. 2023
Only the White has the right balance of water, sediment, sandbars with backwaters, sheltering cottonwood forests and pool-forming deadwood to sustain themselves without hatchery help.
—Brandon Loomis, The Arizona Republic, 30 June 2023
See All Example Sentences for deadwood
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deadwood
Noun
-
The lot was activated because of the magnitude of storm debris that had to be removed from the basins.—
Dakota Smith,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Apr. 2025
-
For those with patience to keep them free of debris and properly chlorinated (or, more realistically, the funds to hire someone), there’s probably just enough time to close on one of these homes before a mid-season heat wave.—
Matthew Sedacca,
Curbed,
28 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Unlike a regular old garbage bag, these are leakproof and durable (and thus much harder for a squirrel to rip into, if given the chance).—
Sara Coughlin,
SELF,
22 Apr. 2025
-
Four 20-pound bags of hamburger buns and sandwich breads got hit with Stop Sales, sending 80 pounds of bread into the garbage.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
15 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
The site was first excavated beginning in 1995, and in 2018, scientists began collecting, analyzing and radiocarbon dating fossils unearthed from El Gigante rubbish piles.—
GrrlScientist,
Forbes,
13 Mar. 2025
-
Last year, a dumpster diver in Hudson, New York, stumbled upon an extraordinary find: An 18th-century pen-and-ink sketch by English portraitist George Romney was hidden amid the rubbish.—
Eli Wizevich,
Smithsonian Magazine,
28 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
On April 1, the Sanitation Department started to fine any building owners who flout the new rules, which took effect in October and require landlords to make sure food and other organic waste be separated from regular trash and placed in bins on the curb for pickup.—
Chris Sommerfeldt,
New York Daily News,
18 Apr. 2025
-
Fruit flies will also target places where food is disposed of, like your trash bins or drains.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
18 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
As a result of these reentries, however, the amount of space junk burning up in the upper layers of the atmosphere is increasing, which worries some atmospheric scientists.—
Tereza Pultarova,
Space.com,
14 Apr. 2025
-
What about that wily junk dealer, or the creepy cemetery?—
Kevin Purdy,
ArsTechnica,
5 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
The optional speakers can run on battery power for up to eight hours (recharged via USB-C port), and are rated to IP54 dust and water resistance.—
John Archer,
Forbes.com,
25 Apr. 2025
-
Clouds form when water vapor condenses around tiny particles like dust or salt.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Deadwood.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deadwood. Accessed 3 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share