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View synonyms for deadly

deadly

[ded-lee]

adjective

deadlier, deadliest 
  1. causing or tending to cause death; fatal; lethal.

    a deadly poison.

  2. aiming to kill or destroy; implacable.

    a deadly enemy.

  3. like death.

    a deadly pallor.

  4. excruciatingly boring.

    The dinner party was absolutely deadly.

    Synonyms: dreary, tedious, dull
  5. excessive; inordinate.

    deadly haste.

  6. extremely accurate.

    Annie Oakley was a deadly shot.



adverb

  1. in a manner resembling or suggesting death.

    deadly pale.

  2. excessively; completely.

    deadly dull.

deadly

/ ˈdɛdlɪ /

adjective

  1. likely to cause death

    deadly poison

    deadly combat

  2. informal,  extremely boring

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

adverb

  1. like death in appearance or certainty

    deadly pale

    a deadly sleep

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Other Word Forms

  • deadliness noun
  • nondeadly adjective
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Word History and Origins

Origin of deadly1

First recorded before 900; Middle English deedli(ch), Old English dēadlīce; dead, -ly
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Synonym Study

See fatal.
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

The last deadly shark attack in the Sydney area in 2022, when Simon Nellist - a British diving instructor - was mauled by a great white shark.

From BBC

The authorities justify the measures by the need to protect people and infrastructure from attacks by Ukrainian drones - Kyiv's response to Russia's relentless and deadly bombardments of Ukrainian cities.

From BBC

Kennedy has said he wants more studies on the COVID-19 shots, which he has long claimed are harmful — even deadly.

This will be the 16th outbreak of the deadly virus in the vast central African state that has poor health services, and is hit by conflict in the east.

From BBC

Natural gas is composed mostly of climate-warming methane but also contains other gases such as hydrogen sulfide, which is deadly at high concentrations.

From Salon

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