# dead

/ˈdɛd/ (US) · /dˈɛd/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/dead
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. no longer living

adjective · CEFR A2

no longer alive.

For teachers: having ceased to live; no longer possessing biological life.

- The flowers in the vase were dead because I forgot to water them.
- The biologist examined the dead specimen to determine if the cause of death was environmental or predatory.

### 2. not working

adjective · CEFR A2

not working or having no power.

For teachers: inoperable or lacking electrical charge.

- I couldn't call you because my phone battery was dead.
- The technician confirmed that the server was dead and required a complete hardware replacement.

### 3. quiet or boring

adjective · CEFR B1

a place with no activity or people.

For teachers: lacking activity, excitement, or people; unexpectedly quiet.

- The town centre is usually dead on a Monday night.
- The party was completely dead until the band started playing and more guests arrived.

### 4. very tired

adjective · CEFR B1 · Informal

feeling extremely tired.

For teachers: utterly exhausted or worn out.

- I'm dead after that long walk in the park.
- After working a double shift at the hospital, the nurse felt dead and went straight to sleep.

### 5. numb

adjective · CEFR B2

having no feeling in a part of your body.

For teachers: lacking physical sensation; experiencing temporary numbness.

- My arm went dead because I was sleeping on it.
- The local anaesthetic left his jaw feeling dead for several hours after the dental procedure.

### 6. laughing hard

adjective · CEFR B2 · Slang · Informal

used to say that something is very funny.

For teachers: used hyperbolically to indicate an extreme emotional reaction, usually to something humorous.

- Did you see that video? I'm dead.
- The comedian's latest sketch was so relatable that the entire comment section was just people saying they were dead.

### 7. completely or very

adverb · CEFR B1 · Informal

completely or extremely.

For teachers: used as an intensifier meaning completely, absolutely, or very.

- You are dead right about the price of this car.
- The archer was dead certain that his aim was true despite the heavy crosswinds.

### 8. exactly

adverb · CEFR B2

exactly in a certain position or time.

For teachers: precisely or exactly in a specific direction or at a specific time.

- The arrow hit the target dead centre.
- The ship was heading dead ahead toward the lighthouse in the thick fog.

### 9. dead people

noun · CEFR B1

people who have died.

For teachers: those who are no longer living; used with 'the'.

- In some cultures, people have festivals to remember the dead.
- The monument was erected to honour the dead who fell during the Great War.

### 10. the middle of a period

noun · CEFR B2

the middle of a quiet or dark time, like night or winter.

For teachers: the period of greatest intensity, darkness, or stillness.

- The phone rang in the dead of night and woke everyone up.
- The explorers set out in the dead of winter, facing temperatures far below freezing.

## Examples

- The flowers in the vase are dead.
- The gardener removed the dead branches to help the rest of the tree grow stronger during the spring.
- While the forest appeared dead in the grip of the harsh winter, many species were merely dormant, waiting for the first signs of thaw to reappear.

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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.