as in debris
discarded or useless material
much of the material in the file cabinets is just deadwood
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of deadwood
Trying to talk sense into him would be useless, however, so a wounded Leroy hands off the dagger to Will and gives him instructions on where to bury it, reasoning that Will and his friends will be able to get to the deadwood without the military spotting them.
—
Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 15 Dec. 2025
With Rich's ghostly helping hand, Will, Lilly, Ronnie, and Marge are able to plant the dagger in the deadwood's roots, re-lock the cage, and send It back into one of its 27-year hibernation periods.
—Megan McCluskey, Time, 15 Dec. 2025
The lawsuit states that the branch fell from a tree that was clearly unhealthy, decayed and had deadwood.
—Caleb Lunetta, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Nov. 2025
And some old-growth forests have abundant deadwood, both standing and on the ground, whereas others are kept largely clear of deadwood by frequent fires.
—Reed Frederick Noss, The Conversation, 16 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for deadwood
Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 15 Dec. 2025
With Rich's ghostly helping hand, Will, Lilly, Ronnie, and Marge are able to plant the dagger in the deadwood's roots, re-lock the cage, and send It back into one of its 27-year hibernation periods.
—Megan McCluskey, Time, 15 Dec. 2025
The lawsuit states that the branch fell from a tree that was clearly unhealthy, decayed and had deadwood.
—Caleb Lunetta, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Nov. 2025
And some old-growth forests have abundant deadwood, both standing and on the ground, whereas others are kept largely clear of deadwood by frequent fires.
—Reed Frederick Noss, The Conversation, 16 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for deadwood
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deadwood
Noun
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Try to find a place that will block blowing or falling debris.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
2 Apr. 2026
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One social media video taken from along a highway near the barracks showed the aftermath of the strike, with pieces of fiery debris scattered along the mountain range housing the barracks.—
Kevin Collier,
NBC news,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Down where the Pigeons toiled, two-foot piles of garbage cluttered blocks lined with storage-unit facilities, budget hotels, abandoned RVs and parking lots sealed with rusted razor wire.—
TIM CRAIG THE WASHINGTON POST,
Arkansas Online,
5 Apr. 2026
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Her body was found wrapped in blankets and garbage bags in the bed of a second-story room.—
Angie DiMichele,
Sun Sentinel,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
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For many centuries and probably longer, the seas and oceans of the world have been used as a source of food but also as an enormous dumping ground for all sorts of rubbish.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
25 Mar. 2026
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The study confirmed direct dumping by boats, with evidence of bags full of rubbish thrown overboard.—
Ryan Brennan,
Kansas City Star,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Kansas City uses this money to pay for basic city services, like fire fighting, snow plowing and trash collecting.—
Eleanor Nash,
Kansas City Star,
4 Apr. 2026
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Officials remind the public to report aggressive wildlife immediately, always supervise children outdoors, keep pets on a leash and close by and avoid leaving food or trash accessible.—
Chelsea Hylton,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Jones is an elite defender who can score through doubles and junk defenses, and is lethal from 3, shooting 41% from distance in her career.—
Kyle Newman,
Denver Post,
29 Mar. 2026
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Take your household trash out back, set it on fire, and whoosh, all that junk was smoke, and no longer your problem.—
Patt Morrison,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Dirt, pet hair, and dust blend right in, while the durable synthetic fibers resist stains and are easy to clean.—
Jacquelyn McGilvray,
PEOPLE,
5 Apr. 2026
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From tackling the clutter that traps dust to cleaning out your gutters, a spring clean-up can make a meaningful difference in how your home feels.—
Alora Bopray,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Deadwood.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deadwood. Accessed 7 Apr. 2026.
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