# dead air

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/dead-air
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

An unintended interruption in a broadcast during which nothing is transmitted: a silent period on radio or a silent period with no picture on television.

## Examples

- The DJ panicked when there was dead air for ten seconds.
- During the live interview, technical problems caused thirty seconds of dead air before the host could continue.
- The veteran broadcaster, mortified by the rare lapse that left his audience in dead air, apologized profusely once the feed was restored.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.