1
as in deadly
of, relating to, or suggestive of death
his deathly pallor suggested that any attempt to find a pulse would be futile
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in lethal
likely to cause or capable of causing death
smallpox is one deathly disease that medical science has been able to conquer
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of deathly
More progress will become possible if leaders take a hard look at the belief system that has produced this huge, deathly monument to wishful thinking.
—
Michael Krepon, Foreign Affairs, 15 Aug. 2016
Californians must rise and reclaim our Golden State from the deathly and devastating grip of endless bureaucratic cancer.
—Stepheny Price, Fox News, 27 Jan. 2025
For all of those thousands of collegiate Olympians past and present, the roar of the football crowd will be drowned out by the deathly silence of their shuttered programs.
—Mike Bianchi, Orlando Sentinel, 24 July 2024
Gomez has co-led the Hulu series alongside Steve Martin and Martin Short since its 2021 debut, as a band of neighbors who join forces to solve deathly mysteries unfolding around them.
—Joey Nolfi, EW.com, 17 July 2024
The deathly gossip started as St. Patrick’s Day rumo(u)rs that the BBC was on standby for an announcement from the royal family and government buildings were flying flags at half-mast.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 18 Mar. 2024
While attempting to return to their present, a cryptic force emerges and traps them on a strange plot of land, giving them a deathly ultimatum in order to escape.
—Caroline Brew, Variety, 28 Feb. 2024
The chill of her announcement is accentuated by Muhly’s orchestration, in which bass clarinet, contrabassoon, harp, and cello perform a deathly turn from E major to G minor.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 14 Aug. 2023
Then we were warned that the friend, despite being a licensed psychiatrist, has a deathly and obsessive terror of dogs.
—Nicholas Ivor Martin and Jacobina Martin, oregonlive, 4 Mar. 2023
Michael Krepon, Foreign Affairs, 15 Aug. 2016
Californians must rise and reclaim our Golden State from the deathly and devastating grip of endless bureaucratic cancer.
—Stepheny Price, Fox News, 27 Jan. 2025
For all of those thousands of collegiate Olympians past and present, the roar of the football crowd will be drowned out by the deathly silence of their shuttered programs.
—Mike Bianchi, Orlando Sentinel, 24 July 2024
Gomez has co-led the Hulu series alongside Steve Martin and Martin Short since its 2021 debut, as a band of neighbors who join forces to solve deathly mysteries unfolding around them.
—Joey Nolfi, EW.com, 17 July 2024
The deathly gossip started as St. Patrick’s Day rumo(u)rs that the BBC was on standby for an announcement from the royal family and government buildings were flying flags at half-mast.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 18 Mar. 2024
While attempting to return to their present, a cryptic force emerges and traps them on a strange plot of land, giving them a deathly ultimatum in order to escape.
—Caroline Brew, Variety, 28 Feb. 2024
The chill of her announcement is accentuated by Muhly’s orchestration, in which bass clarinet, contrabassoon, harp, and cello perform a deathly turn from E major to G minor.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 14 Aug. 2023
Then we were warned that the friend, despite being a licensed psychiatrist, has a deathly and obsessive terror of dogs.
—Nicholas Ivor Martin and Jacobina Martin, oregonlive, 4 Mar. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deathly
Adjective
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However, all this rest and relaxation takes a deadly turn as a cloaked killer enters the premises.—
Rebecca Rubin,
Variety,
1 Apr. 2025
-
As fate would have it, the very destructive and deadly wildfires that swept through Los Angeles neighborhoods this year erupted as its city officials were struggling to close a large gap in their budget.—
Dan Walters,
Mercury News,
1 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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When carboxyhemoglobin saturation exceeds 50%, it is considered lethal.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2025
-
Astronauts on a mission to Mars lasting several years would be exposed to potentially lethal amounts of radiation, Pitts said.—
Joshua Rhett Miller,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Prosecutors said that is an unusually high number of victories, because dogs often suffer mortal injuries during brutal fights.—
Michael Ruiz,
FOXNews.com,
26 Mar. 2025
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Chinese superstar Yao Chen is steering her production banner Bad Rabbit Pictures into premium short-form television with an ambitious limited series centered on Mazu, the legendary sea goddess who was born mortal in China’s Fujian province.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
15 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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That is known as meconium aspiration syndrome – a potentially fatal condition that occurs in 5% to 10% of births but is treatable if diagnosed in time.—
Khwaga Ghani,
NPR,
31 Mar. 2025
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The ordeal ended with the fatal exchange of gunfire about 9:50 p.m., more than five hours after the first call to deputies.—
Darrell Smith,
Sacbee.com,
31 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Palumbo, the only person in the Mustang, was found unresponsive and was pronounced dead at the scene.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
26 Mar. 2025
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Miller, the 14-year-old son of former New York Yankees outfielder Brett Gardner, was found dead on Friday morning at a hotel in Manuel Antonio.—
Ana Melgar Zuniga and Kyle Feldscher,
CNN Money,
26 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Deathly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deathly. Accessed 9 Apr. 2025.
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