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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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dead

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adverb

dead

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noun

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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 driver was pronounced dead at the scene, while the other was taken to an area hospital with life-threatening injuries, police said. Martha Ross, Mercury News, 26 Oct. 2025 On Tuesday, 21-year-old Jashanpreet Singh was charged in connection with a multi-vehicle crash on Interstate 10 in California that left three people dead and several others injured. Mandy Taheri, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Oct. 2025
Adverb
Currently, the Cowboys rank dead last against the pass and bottom-five against the run. Andy Behrens, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025 These words pretend, like beetles in a wildfire pretend to be dead underground. Literary Hub, 9 Oct. 2025
Noun
It was built to honor the Confederate dead of Chowan County. Ashley J. Dimella, FOXNews.com, 3 Sep. 2025 Boynton Beach Fire Rescue pronounced Civitano dead at the scene. Angie Dimichele, Sun Sentinel, 18 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for dead
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dead
Adjective
  • Vance on Tuesday downplayed concerns about the fragility of the ceasefire but declined to put a timeline on the return of all deceased hostages and Hamas’ complete disarmament.
    Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 21 Oct. 2025
  • Based on short story by late writer Naguib Mahfouz, The Last Miracle stars popular actor Khaled Kamal (The Blue Elephant, Clash) as a 40-year-old journalist who receives a phone call from a deceased Sheikh, which begins a spiritual journey of grief, faith and illusion.
    Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 21 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Those taking GLP-1s showed a slower rise in breath alcohol during the first 10 to 20 minutes and lower overall levels throughout.
    Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 26 Oct. 2025
  • Researchers highlighted the current challenges for OCTOID, including slow thermal response and potential fatigue of CLCEs, and the weight of nichrome wires limiting flexibility.
    Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 26 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • There isn’t an obvious replacement, but fans are tired and want something else.
    Chris Vannini, New York Times, 26 Oct. 2025
  • Her recipe is simple, elegant, and designed to keep the party going without anyone leaving jittery or tired.
    Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Here are some of the absolute best neighborhoods in metro Phoenix for trick-or-treating in 2025.
    Endia Fontanez, AZCentral.com, 24 Oct. 2025
  • This plaid jacket is an absolute standout in fall outerwear—already a best-seller with over 1,000 purchases in the past month.
    Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 23 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • In a small town like Harding, a crime involving local children of local families shatters the relatively placid and usually numb routines of daily life.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2025
  • Muir’s head had slammed onto a shallow sandbar, his body instantly going numb.
    Laylan Connelly, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has announced that several species of animals and plants have now gone extinct.
    Doyle Rice, USA Today, 18 Oct. 2025
  • The species went virtually extinct elsewhere.
    JSTOR Daily, JSTOR Daily, 17 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • The latent varicella zoster virus lies dormant in the body after a person has chicken pox.
    Amy McGorry, FOXNews.com, 27 Oct. 2025
  • Planting Too Late The best time to plant fruit trees is in spring or fall, when the trees are dormant and the weather is still mild.
    Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • However, as Chambers’ trial kicked off on Friday, her attorney, Mark Thiessen, suggested an alternate reason for the deadly crash.
    Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 21 Oct. 2025
  • Because gas leaks can lead to fires or explosions, and CO can be deadly even in small amounts, both types of detectors are critical for home kitchen safety.
    Lauren Bengtson, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Dead.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dead. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.

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