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
-
This means old proxies for productivity, such as time at the desk or visible busyness, are quickly becoming obsolete.—
Julian Hayes II,
Forbes.com,
28 Mar. 2025
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In an era when career uncertainty—marked by layoffs, automation, shifting regulations, and changing expectations—traditional notions of job security are becoming obsolete.—
Daisy Auger-Domínguez,
Harvard Business Review,
25 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The chain gang will still be on the field as a backup option, but the archaic measuring system will no longer be the primary way to determine a first down or not on close plays.—
Josh Hammer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2025
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That would have been necessary in the technologically archaic Cohen building — absent the existential question now hovering over the networks.—
David Folkenflik,
NPR,
15 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Even if Bitcoin experiences consecutive down years—which history suggests is unlikely over extended periods—the structure remains viable.—
Edan Yago,
Forbes.com,
2 Apr. 2025
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The sole down year was 2001, when the index lost slightly over 1% in that period.—
Brian Evans,Lisa Kailai Han,
CNBC,
31 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
In Brazil, Cuban doctors in the defunct Mais Medicos program were paid less than a third of what was paid to doctors of other nationalities in the same program, according to documents obtained by the Brazilian press.—
Nora Gámez Torres,
Miami Herald,
7 Apr. 2025
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Cohen was first elected in 2018, after Crook had ended his relatively brief career as a lobbyist for the Coalition for Connecticut Sportsmen, a defunct organization that had been run by his father, Robert T. Crook.—
Mark Pazniokas,
Hartford Courant,
2 Apr. 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
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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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But they could still be rendered inoperable if the RTK signal dropped.—
Anthony Karcz,
Forbes.com,
8 Apr. 2025
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The Sacramento doughnut shop received a red placard and temporarily closed its doors after inspectors discovered that a toilet was inoperable.—
Camila Pedrosa,
Sacbee.com,
4 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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In the Delta, pumping operations are expected to slow in April and May to protect endangered fish species.—
Lia Russell,
Sacbee.com,
28 Mar. 2025
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Hop on the eco-buggy and explore Longleaf Pine Preserve, home to some of the threatened and endangered species listed in Florida.—
Joe Rassel,
The Orlando Sentinel,
26 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Kaput.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kaput. Accessed 14 Apr. 2025.
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