1
as in deadly
of, relating to, or suggestive of death
his deathly pallor suggested that any attempt to find a pulse would be futile
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in lethal
likely to cause or capable of causing death
smallpox is one deathly disease that medical science has been able to conquer
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of deathly
Despite its deathly reputation, Mount Baldy is oftentimes neither a particularly precarious mountain nor an especially treacherous trail.
—
Outside, 8 Jan. 2026
Despite the deathly dangers of fentanyl contamination, hard drug use has been enjoying record increases in Hollywood and beyond not seen since the hard-partying ’80s.
—Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 11 Nov. 2025
The deathly avalanche between Camp 2 and Camp 3 always scared me.
—Ben Ayers, Outside Online, 10 Apr. 2025
Californians must rise and reclaim our Golden State from the deathly and devastating grip of endless bureaucratic cancer.
—Stepheny Price, Fox News, 27 Jan. 2025
For all of those thousands of collegiate Olympians past and present, the roar of the football crowd will be drowned out by the deathly silence of their shuttered programs.
—Mike Bianchi, Orlando Sentinel, 24 July 2024
Gomez has co-led the Hulu series alongside Steve Martin and Martin Short since its 2021 debut, as a band of neighbors who join forces to solve deathly mysteries unfolding around them.
—Joey Nolfi, EW.com, 17 July 2024
The deathly gossip started as St. Patrick’s Day rumo(u)rs that the BBC was on standby for an announcement from the royal family and government buildings were flying flags at half-mast.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 18 Mar. 2024
Outside, 8 Jan. 2026
Despite the deathly dangers of fentanyl contamination, hard drug use has been enjoying record increases in Hollywood and beyond not seen since the hard-partying ’80s.
—Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 11 Nov. 2025
The deathly avalanche between Camp 2 and Camp 3 always scared me.
—Ben Ayers, Outside Online, 10 Apr. 2025
Californians must rise and reclaim our Golden State from the deathly and devastating grip of endless bureaucratic cancer.
—Stepheny Price, Fox News, 27 Jan. 2025
For all of those thousands of collegiate Olympians past and present, the roar of the football crowd will be drowned out by the deathly silence of their shuttered programs.
—Mike Bianchi, Orlando Sentinel, 24 July 2024
Gomez has co-led the Hulu series alongside Steve Martin and Martin Short since its 2021 debut, as a band of neighbors who join forces to solve deathly mysteries unfolding around them.
—Joey Nolfi, EW.com, 17 July 2024
The deathly gossip started as St. Patrick’s Day rumo(u)rs that the BBC was on standby for an announcement from the royal family and government buildings were flying flags at half-mast.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 18 Mar. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deathly
Adjective
-
State inspectors had never once visited the Esparto facility before the deadly blast; that responsibility fell only to local authorities, until now.—
Ashley Sharp,
CBS News,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Are all fungi dangerous or deadly?—
Brandi D. Addison,
USA Today,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The planned execution of Thomas Creech in 2024 could not be carried out because a suitable vein could not be found to administer lethal drugs.—
Sally Krutzig,
Idaho Statesman,
1 Apr. 2026
-
The punishment stipulated under the new law is death by hanging, after the Israeli Medical Association's ethics board said last year that its members would be prohibited from administering lethal injections, according to Israeli media.—
Matt Bradley,
NBC news,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The Divine Dancers duology comes to a close as immortal celestial dancer Meneka attempts to hide from her divine fate with mortal sage Kaushika, with whom seduction turned to genuine love.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 Apr. 2026
-
These are things that are beyond our mortal comprehension, but that are maybe coming in the near-future.—
Deputy Managing Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
That is the highest-level designation for severe accidents, placing it alongside the fatal Challenger (1986) and Columbia (2003) shuttle disasters in terms of gravity.—
Chris Young,
Interesting Engineering,
31 Mar. 2026
-
The cause of that fatal accident remains under investigation.—
Anna McAllister,
CBS News,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
By 1838, Prudhomme was dead, and his daughter petitioned to divide the estate.—
Elijah Winkler,
Kansas City Star,
29 Mar. 2026
-
Man stabbed to death in Southie apartment A man was stabbed in an apartment in South Boston Friday and pronounced dead at a hospital the next day.—
Flint McColgan,
Boston Herald,
29 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Deathly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deathly. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
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