SKIP TO CONTENT

deadly

/ˈdɛdli/
/ˈdɛdli/
IPA guide

Other forms: deadliest; deadlier; deadlily

Something that's deadly can kill you. Because a gun can end someone's life, it's a deadly weapon.

If someone's diagnosed with a deadly disease, it's lethal — it's capable of ending the person's life. When you hear someone talk about police officers using "deadly force," they mean actions that intended to cause death, or understood to be capable of killing someone. You can also use the word to mean "extremely" or "very," as when you describe your math class as deadly boring.

Definitions of deadly
  1. adjective
    causing or capable of causing death
    “a deadly enemy”
    synonyms: deathly, mortal
    fatal
    bringing death
  2. adjective
    of an instrument of certain death
    deadly poisons”
    synonyms: lethal
    fatal
    bringing death
  3. adjective
    exceedingly harmful
    noxious
    injurious to physical or mental health
  4. adjective
    (of a disease) having a rapid course and violent effect
    synonyms:
    virulent
    infectious; having the ability to cause disease
  5. adjective
    extremely poisonous or injurious; producing venom
    synonyms: venomous, virulent
    toxic
    of or relating to or caused by a toxin or poison
  6. adjective
    involving loss of divine grace or spiritual death
    “the seven deadly sins”
    synonyms: mortal
    unpardonable
    not admitting of pardon
  7. adverb
    as if dead
    synonyms: lifelessly
  8. adverb
    (used as intensives) extremely
    deadly dull”
    deadly earnest”
Pronunciation
US
/ˈdɛdli/
UK
/ˈdɛdli/
Cite this entry
Style:
MLA
  • MLA
  • APA
  • Chicago

Copy citation
DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘deadly'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
Word Family