A2adjective1K

Dead

UK /["/ded/"]/US /["/ded/"]/

Definition

no longer alive

In simple words: No longer alive.

Examples

  • The flowers were dead after the winter frost.
  • He felt dead tired after working all day.
  • The battery is dead, so I need to replace it.
  • The trees in the forest are not dead; they are just dormant.
  • After running a marathon, I was dead on my feet.
  • The 'dead zone' in the ocean lacks marine life.
  • He has a deadpan expression that makes it hard to tell if he's joking.

Usage notes

Use 'dead' in both formal and informal contexts when discussing life and death. Avoid using it in lighthearted or joking situations to maintain sensitivity.

Grammar pattern

standalone adjective

Memory hint

Think of 'dead' as 'gone, never to return' — picture a wilted plant.

Collocations

  • be
  • lie
  • look
  • quite
  • almost
  • nearly
  • dead and buried
  • dead and gone
  • dead or alive

Synonyms

  • deceased
  • lifeless
  • inanimate
  • defunct

Antonyms

  • alive
  • living
  • active

Common mistakes

  • Confused with 'died' — 'dead' describes the state, 'died' describes the action.
  • Using 'dead' in a positive context, like 'dead good', which is incorrect.
  • Mistakenly using 'dead' as a verb instead of an adjective.