variants
also kaputt
1
as in doomed
facing certain defeat, disaster, or death
once the Germans were forced to retreat from Stalingrad, the Nazi cause was kaput
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in obsolete
having passed its time of use or usefulness
hard-line Soviet-style Communism became kaput in Russia
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in malfunctioning
not being in working order
the heating system went kaput on the coldest day of the year
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of kaput
Now all three of those competitors are kaput, felled by runs on deposits during the biggest banking crisis in a decade and a half.
—
Rob Copeland, New York Times, 14 June 2023
The Stooges are now functionally kaput—of the original lineup, only Pop is left.
—Amanda Petrusich, The New Yorker, 26 Aug. 2019
At least not on Sunday afternoon, nearly a full two days after the Clippers were supposed to be done, finished, as kaput as the Kings – those in Sacramento and Los Angeles.
—Jeff Miller, Orange County Register, 29 Apr. 2017
The damages for that less-than-brilliant marketing idea could be as much as $120 million, meaning the company as a whole is pretty much financially kaput.
—Susan Arendt, WIRED, 14 Mar. 2007
Rob Copeland, New York Times, 14 June 2023
The Stooges are now functionally kaput—of the original lineup, only Pop is left.
—Amanda Petrusich, The New Yorker, 26 Aug. 2019
At least not on Sunday afternoon, nearly a full two days after the Clippers were supposed to be done, finished, as kaput as the Kings – those in Sacramento and Los Angeles.
—Jeff Miller, Orange County Register, 29 Apr. 2017
The damages for that less-than-brilliant marketing idea could be as much as $120 million, meaning the company as a whole is pretty much financially kaput.
—Susan Arendt, WIRED, 14 Mar. 2007
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kaput
Adjective
-
In recent years, however, the idea of belonging to traditional civic organizations is perceived to be obsolete.—
John Hewko,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Feb. 2025
-
The intrigue: The proposals include repealing a Denver law passed in 2019 allowing adults to possess psychedelics, with licensing staff saying the 2022 state law makes the local law obsolete.—
Esteban L. Hernandez,
Axios,
5 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Today, modern applications of seemingly archaic tech can be found in examples using field-coil transducers from Songer Audio, Voxativ, and Wolf von Langa, while advancements in electrostatic and planar-magnetic technology have eliminated former restraints in bandwidth, volume, and reliability.—
Robert Ross,
Robb Report,
15 Feb. 2025
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The archaic society was known for the prowess of its soldiers and its brawny militarism.—
Christopher Knight,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Heyward had a bounce-back campaign with the Dodgers in 2023 after two down years with the Cubs.—
Yaakov Katz,
Newsweek,
8 Feb. 2025
-
The umpire is Mike Morton, Max Causey is the down judge, Mark Stewart is the line judge, Mearl Robison is the field judge, Boris Cheek the side judge, Jonah Monroe the back judge and Kevin Brown is the replay official.—
Ryan Canfield,
Fox News,
7 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Volkswagen is reviving the defunct brand as an off-roading electric vehicle for distinctly American tastes.—
Verge Staff,
The Verge,
5 Feb. 2025
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The project, a dream pairing of two in-demand actors in The Perfect Couple and Bad Sisters’ Hewson and The White Lotus and The Last Of Us‘ Bartlett to series, originated at the now defunct ABC Signature where Berg and Countee had been under overall deals.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
3 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Perhaps most notably, both sides deploy decoy vehicles—either inoperative derelicts or inflatable fakes—to draw enemy fire away from real vehicles.—
David Axe,
Forbes,
31 Oct. 2024
-
In wartime, however, the calculus changes, because most of the costs are inoperative.—
William C. Wohlforth,
Foreign Affairs,
22 June 2021
Adjective
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The sunk cost fallacy, for example, can lead companies to continue investing in maintaining a physical office space, despite the benefits of remote work.—
Dr. Gleb Tsipursky,
Forbes,
6 Feb. 2023
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The sunk cost fallacy is a bias that behavioral economists say can cause a person to stick with a losing investment.—
Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi,
Discover Magazine,
22 Mar. 2022
Adjective
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Crowley initially told The Times that most of the ready reserve engines were inoperable or otherwise unavailable.—
Paul Pringle,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Jan. 2025
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Some were taken to an undisclosed location, while others were transferred to the nearby Indonesian Hospital, which was rendered inoperable earlier this week following an Israeli raid.—
David Faris,
Newsweek,
27 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Fantastic creatures Darwin’s frog is a tiny, endangered species at risk of disappearing from the planet.—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN,
8 Feb. 2025
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Last year, scientists achieved the first rhino pregnancy through IVF, bringing hope for the highly endangered northern white rhino, a subspecies with only two individuals remaining in the world.—
Sara Hashemi,
Smithsonian Magazine,
7 Feb. 2025
Articles Related to kaput
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Cite this Entry
“Kaput.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kaput. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
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