deadlier; deadliest
1
: likely to cause or capable of producing death
deadly poison
2
a
: aiming to kill or destroy : implacable
a deadly enemy
b
: highly effective
a deadly exposé
c
: unerring
a deadly marksman
d
: marked by determination or extreme seriousness
3
a
: tending to deprive of force or vitality
a deadly habit
b
: suggestive of death especially in dullness or lack of animation
deadly bores
a deadly conversation
4
: very great : extreme
deadliness
noun
Synonyms
Adjective
Adverb
- achingly
- almighty
- archly
- awful
- awfully
- badly
- beastly
- blisteringly
- bone
- colossally
- corking
- cracking
- damn
- damned
- dang
- desperately
- eminently
- enormously
- especially
- ever
- exceedingly
- exceeding
- extra
- extremely
- fabulously
- fantastically
- far
- fiercely
- filthy
- frightfully
- full
- greatly
- heavily
- highly
- hugely
- immensely
- incredibly
- intensely
- jolly
- majorly
- mightily
- mighty
- monstrous [chiefly dialect]
- mortally
- most
- much
- particularly
- passing
- rattling
- real
- really
- right
- roaring
- roaringly
- seriously
- severely
- so
- sore
- sorely
- spanking
- specially
- stinking
- such
- super
- supremely
- surpassingly
- terribly
- that
- thumping
- too
- unco
- uncommonly
- vastly
- very
- vitally
- way
- whacking
- wicked
- wildly
Examples of deadly in a Sentence
Adjective
the world's most deadly snake
a more deadly form of the disease
They launched a deadly attack.
Officers are allowed to use deadly force if necessary.
She shoots with deadly accuracy.
a basketball player with deadly aim
A deadly silence followed his question.
The two gang leaders are deadly enemies.
He spoke with deadly seriousness.
Adverb
I'm deadly serious about making an offer on the house.
Recent Examples on the Web
Kevin Lynn, Newsweek, 8 Jan. 2025
The series takes place in the 20-year aftermath of a deadly outbreak of mutant fungus (Cordyceps) that turns humans into monstrous zombie-like creatures (the Infected, or Clickers).
—Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 7 Jan. 2025
Ghada Abdulfattah, The Christian Science Monitor, 7 Jan. 2025
The movie's trailer depicts Rule as an attractive and charismatic tattoo artist who is deadly serious about his work.
—Tommy McArdle, People.com, 27 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for deadly 
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Adjective
In August, the main global body analyzing food crises, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification's Famine Review Committee (FRC), warned that mass famine in Sudan fueled by the conflict could be on track to become the deadliest famine in over a decade.
—Kevin Lynn, Newsweek, 8 Jan. 2025
The series takes place in the 20-year aftermath of a deadly outbreak of mutant fungus (Cordyceps) that turns humans into monstrous zombie-like creatures (the Infected, or Clickers).
—Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 7 Jan. 2025
Adverb
Widespread malnutrition after a year of dwindling food supplies is another factor making this winter deadly.
—Ghada Abdulfattah, The Christian Science Monitor, 7 Jan. 2025
The movie's trailer depicts Rule as an attractive and charismatic tattoo artist who is deadly serious about his work.
—Tommy McArdle, People.com, 27 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for deadly
Dictionary Entries Near deadly
Cite this Entry
“Deadly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deadly. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
deadly
2 of 2 adverb1
: suggesting death
deadly pale
2
: to a very great degree
deadly dull
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