Dead Meaning

UK /dɛd/
US /dɛd/
Word Definition
dead meaning

Dead Definition & Usage

adjective

No longer alive; having lost life.

Examples

  • "He found a dead bird in the garden this morning."
  • "The plant was dead after weeks without water."
  • "She was heartbroken when her childhood pet died."
  • "The battery is dead, so the phone won’t turn on."
  • "After the accident, he was declared dead at the scene."
adjective

Characterized by a lack of movement, energy, or activity.

Examples

  • "The street was dead after midnight, with no cars or people around."
  • "He felt dead inside after losing his job."
  • "The party was dead, so we decided to leave early."
  • "The economy is dead, with no growth or job creation."
  • "The room fell dead silent as the teacher entered."
verb (informal)

To stop working or cease to function.

Examples

  • "My phone died during the meeting."
  • "The car died on the way to the concert."
  • "The lights died when the storm knocked out the power."
  • "Her computer died after she spilled coffee on it."
  • "The TV died unexpectedly after a power surge."
adjective

Used to describe something extreme or intense in a figurative sense.

Examples

  • "The heat today is dead awful; I can barely breathe."
  • "That movie was dead boring, I almost fell asleep."
  • "You’re dead wrong if you think that strategy will work."
  • "He was dead serious about quitting his job."
  • "She was dead set on getting into Harvard."
noun

A person or thing that is no longer in use, active, or effective.

Examples

  • "After the merger, he was a dead man walking at the company."
  • "The business turned into a dead after its CEO resigned."
  • "Don't buy that old laptop, it’s a dead weight."
  • "That project is a dead end; it’s going nowhere."
  • "His career felt like it was a dead horse, and he couldn’t revive it."

Cultural Context

The word 'dead' has roots in Old English 'dead', which relates to the state of no longer being alive. Over time, it has expanded to a variety of figurative meanings, including the absence of energy or life in a situation, object, or even emotional state.

The Dead of Night

Story

The Dead of Night

Late one evening, Emma walked through the eerily quiet streets of her neighborhood. It was a dead night, the kind where not a soul could be seen and the only sound was the occasional rustle of wind through the trees. Her thoughts were heavy, the weight of a decision she had to make pressing down on her chest. She had come to terms with the fact that her relationship was over; she felt dead inside, as though the energy had drained from her. As she passed the corner shop, the lights flickered and then went completely dead. 'Typical,' she muttered to herself. Everything seemed to be shutting down around her, just like her life had been lately. She couldn't shake the feeling that she was living in a world that was slowly losing its vibrancy. But then, as if to reassure her, her phone buzzed, reminding her that life had not completely gone dead. A message from an old friend, inviting her to a gathering next week. Maybe, just maybe, she thought, things could change. She smiled, feeling just a little more alive as she continued her walk.

The Dead of Night