DEAD Synonyms: 518 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

dead 1 of 3

adjective

ˈded

Definition of dead next

as in deceased

no longer living I inherited this heirloom from my dead great-grandfather

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Relevance

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as in slow

lacking in gaiety, movement, or animation the store is often dead after 4:00 p.m.

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as in tired

depleted in strength, energy, or freshness a long day of traveling left them just dead

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as in absolute

having no exceptions or restrictions there was a dead silence following that incredibly moving performance

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as in numb

lacking in sensation or feeling my foot was dead after I absentmindedly sat on it for an hour

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as in extinct

no longer existing the dead Babylonian culture

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as in dormant

not being in a state of use, activity, or employment local coal mines that have been dead for years

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as in deadly

of, relating to, or suggestive of death fell into a dead faint upon hearing the news

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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

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as in bland

lacking in taste or flavor from the first sip I could tell that the wine hadn't aged well and was pretty much dead

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as in barren

producing inferior or only a small amount of vegetation the dead wastes of the far country to the west

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dead

2 of 3

adverb

as in straight

in a direct line or course the finish line is dead ahead

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as in completely

to a full extent or degree I'm dead certain that's the one I want

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dead

3 of 3

noun

as in death

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

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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

Doctors pronounced him dead shortly after 8 p.m. Police did not have a detailed description of the SUV or the driver behind the wheel. —

Rick Hurd, The Mercury News, 6 Feb. 2025 Paramedics transported the man to a hospital where he was later pronounced dead. —

Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 5 Feb. 2025

Adverb

Wicks has caught just 10 of his 29 targets, a catch rate of just 34.5% which ranks dead last among players with at least 25 targets. —

Rob Reischel, Forbes, 9 Oct. 2024 The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) team thinks that a dead stellar core, or white dwarf, daringly teetering on the edge of the black hole is the cause of increasingly frequent explosions of high-energy light. —

Robert Lea, Space.com, 13 Jan. 2025

Noun

Analysis of the site suggests the community buried its dead in the lake between 1040 and 780 B.C.E., then added metal jewelry like beads and pendants during later rituals. —

Meilan Solly, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 Dec. 2024 Tarrant County made changes to treat the unclaimed dead with dignity Hundreds of unclaimed bodies flowed to the University of North Texas from Tarrant and Dallas counties, which saw the arrangement as a cost savings. —

Mike Hixenbaugh, NBC News, 27 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for dead

Recent Examples of Synonyms for dead

Adjective

Hamas has pledged to release 33 hostages; 97 — around a third of whom the Israeli military believes are deceased — were being held in Gaza when the deal went into effect last Sunday, according to the Israeli authorities.

— Patrick Kingsley, New York Times, 25 Jan. 2025
Shiri and her sons have therefore never been assessed by Israeli officials to be deceased, and many have held out hope they will be reunited with Yaren Bibas, husband to Shiri and father to the two boys, who was separated from his family following their abduction on Oct. 7, 2023.

— Caitlin McFall, Fox News, 24 Jan. 2025