variants
also kaputt
1
as in doomed
facing certain defeat, disaster, or death
once the Germans were forced to retreat from Stalingrad, the Nazi cause was kaput
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in obsolete
having passed its time of use or usefulness
hard-line Soviet-style Communism became kaput in Russia
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in malfunctioning
not being in working order
the heating system went kaput on the coldest day of the year
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of kaput
Now all three of those competitors are kaput, felled by runs on deposits during the biggest banking crisis in a decade and a half.
—
Rob Copeland, New York Times, 14 June 2023
The Stooges are now functionally kaput—of the original lineup, only Pop is left.
—Amanda Petrusich, The New Yorker, 26 Aug. 2019
At least not on Sunday afternoon, nearly a full two days after the Clippers were supposed to be done, finished, as kaput as the Kings – those in Sacramento and Los Angeles.
—Jeff Miller, Orange County Register, 29 Apr. 2017
The damages for that less-than-brilliant marketing idea could be as much as $120 million, meaning the company as a whole is pretty much financially kaput.
—Susan Arendt, WIRED, 14 Mar. 2007
Rob Copeland, New York Times, 14 June 2023
The Stooges are now functionally kaput—of the original lineup, only Pop is left.
—Amanda Petrusich, The New Yorker, 26 Aug. 2019
At least not on Sunday afternoon, nearly a full two days after the Clippers were supposed to be done, finished, as kaput as the Kings – those in Sacramento and Los Angeles.
—Jeff Miller, Orange County Register, 29 Apr. 2017
The damages for that less-than-brilliant marketing idea could be as much as $120 million, meaning the company as a whole is pretty much financially kaput.
—Susan Arendt, WIRED, 14 Mar. 2007
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kaput
Adjective
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Yet, the advent of commercial aviation in the 1950s rendered these icons of the seas obsolete almost overnight.—
David Nikel,
Forbes,
16 Mar. 2025
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As Maryland transitions to clean energy, customers are left paying for obsolete gas pipelines.—
Susan Stevens Miller,
Baltimore Sun,
15 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Sony introduced a now archaic version of RGB LED tech in 2004, though that version can hardly be compared to today’s displays.—
Ryan Waniata,
WIRED,
13 Mar. 2025
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Researchers believe that Pink represents the oldest archaic fossils ever found in this region, according to a study published in Nature on March 12.—
Andrew Paul,
Popular Science,
12 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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There is a lot to prove for Cozens, who many believe still has an upside worth tapping into despite back-to-back down seasons in Buffalo.—
Julian McKenzie,
The Athletic,
9 Mar. 2025
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But now would be the time to test his commitment to Pettersson in what has been a down season for him: 12 goals and 24 assists through 56 games.—
Phil Thompson,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The song was inspired by both a defunct Minneapolis bar as well as the birth of Wilson’s daughter.—
Jonathan Bernstein,
Rolling Stone,
17 Mar. 2025
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The data hoarders collect zines, manuals, family photos, old television shows, and defunct websites—just about everything digital or digitizable at risk of disappearance.—
Julian Lucas,
The New Yorker,
14 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Perhaps most notably, both sides deploy decoy vehicles—either inoperative derelicts or inflatable fakes—to draw enemy fire away from real vehicles.—
David Axe,
Forbes,
31 Oct. 2024
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In wartime, however, the calculus changes, because most of the costs are inoperative.—
William C. Wohlforth,
Foreign Affairs,
22 June 2021
Adjective
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The sunk cost fallacy, for example, can lead companies to continue investing in maintaining a physical office space, despite the benefits of remote work.—
Dr. Gleb Tsipursky,
Forbes,
6 Feb. 2023
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The sunk cost fallacy is a bias that behavioral economists say can cause a person to stick with a losing investment.—
Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi,
Discover Magazine,
22 Mar. 2022
Adjective
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Cars were found to be frozen and inoperable, and as of Wednesday, crews were working through the ice.—
Taylor Ardrey,
USA TODAY,
21 Feb. 2025
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NetBlocks, a company that tracks global internet censorship, said there was no indication that any internet service provider was blocking the app, and that its unavailability was purely through TikTok making the service inoperable for U.S. users.—
Kevin Collier,
NBC News,
19 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Gros started co-hosting Wild Kingdom in 1985 when the bald eagle was an endangered species.—
Amanda Kooser,
Forbes,
14 Mar. 2025
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Most of the endangered species are found in regions that have severe human impact.—
Ella Jeffries,
Smithsonian Magazine,
7 Mar. 2025
Articles Related to kaput
Cite this Entry
“Kaput.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kaput. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.
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