Word forms: comparative deadlier, superlative deadliest
1. adjective
If something is deadly, it is likely or able to cause someone's death, or has already caused someone's death.
He was acquitted on charges of assault with a deadly weapon.
...a deadly disease currently affecting dolphins.
Passive smoking can be deadly too.
The authorities are looking into last week's deadly gas explosions.
Synonyms: lethal, fatal, deathly, dangerous More Synonyms of deadly
2. adjective
If you describe a person or their behaviour as deadly, you mean that they will do or say anything to get what they want, without caring about other people.
[disapproval]
His mother's voice was one he knew; ice cold and deadly.
The Duchess levelled a deadly look at Nikko.
Synonyms: hard, fierce, harsh, cruel More Synonyms of deadly
3. adjective
If you describe someone or something as deadly, you mean that you think they are very dull and boring.
[informal]
She finds these parties deadly.
4. adverb [ADVERB adjective]
You can use deadly to emphasize that something has a particular quality, especially an unpleasant or undesirable quality.
[emphasis]
Broadcast news was accurate and reliable but deadly dull.
The north wind was bitter and deadly cold.
The United States had been deadly serious in its threat of military action.
Synonyms: completely, quite, totally, perfectly More Synonyms of deadly
5. adjective [usually ADJECTIVE noun]
A deadly situation has unpleasant or dangerous consequences.
...the deadly combination of low expectations and low achievement.
It is here that most students fall into a subtle and deadly trap.
6. adjective
Deadly enemies or rivals fight or compete with each other in a very aggressive way.
The two became deadly enemies.
That would make the competition between rival suppliers even deadlier.
Synonyms: arch, savage, mortal, hardline More Synonyms of deadly
7. graded adjective
In sport, deadly players and actions are extremely skilful and successful.
[journalism]
...the fastest and deadliest bowlers in world cricket today.
Synonyms: accurate, sure, true, effective More Synonyms of deadly
More Synonyms of deadly
deadly in British English
(ˈdɛdlɪ)
adjectiveWord forms: -lier or -liest
1.
likely to cause death
deadly poison
deadly combat
2. informal
extremely boring
adverb, adjective
3.
like death in appearance or certainty
deadly pale
a deadly sleep
Derived forms
deadliness (ˈdeadliness)
noun
deadly in American English
(ˈdɛdli)
adjectiveWord forms: ˈdeadlier or ˈdeadliest
1.
causing death or likely to cause death
a deadly poison
2.
to the death; mortal or implacable
deadly combat, deadly enemies
3.
typical of death
deadly pallor
4.
very harmful; destructive
5.
a.
extreme or excessive
deadly silence
b.
out-and-out; utter
with deadly gravity
6.
oppressively tiresome
a deadly bore
7.
perfectly accurate
deadly aim
8. Theology
causing spiritual death
the seven deadly sins
adverbWord forms: ˈdeadlier or ˈdeadliest
9.
in a way suggestive of death
to lie deadly still
10.
extremely or excessively
deadly serious
SIMILAR WORDS: ˈfatal
Derived forms
deadliness (ˈdeadliness)
noun
Word origin
ME dedlich < OE deadlic: see dead & -ly1
Examples of 'deadly' in a sentence
deadly
It was the deadliest attack on forces in the capital in over six months.
The Sun (2016)
Thousands of patients could benefit from a blood test that can detect lung cancer up to five years before potentially deadly symptoms appear.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
THE risk of a deadly heart attack almost doubles in cold spells, say researchers.
The Sun (2016)
They were surrounded by hyenas, crocodiles and hippos and while in the swamps they went barefoot so they would feel a potentially deadly crocodile beneath their feet.
The Sun (2016)
As things take a turn for the worse after the nuptials, it seems there could be a deadly combination of heights, champagne and a swimming pool.
The Sun (2016)
This deadly combination puts its debt on a potentially explosive path.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Does that mean the virus is getting more deadly?
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
The swift progress of the deadly disease was fearful to watch.
Edward Beauclerk Maurice THE LAST OF THE GENTLEMEN ADVENTURERS: Coming of Age in the Arctic (2004)
These men all needed urgent medical intervention for an illness as real and potentially deadly as cancer.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
They were also afflicted with more aggressive and deadly forms of the disease.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Yet the figure that emerges from these pages is deadly dull.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Physical inactivity and a rich diet are a deadly combination.
Hopkins, Tom The Guide to Greatness in Sales (1994)
And then it all gets explosive and deadly.
The Sun (2015)
The only time he is deadly serious is when talking about work.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Of course she feels bitter but to try and spread a deadly disease is a wicked way of seeking vengeance.
The Sun (2006)
To me it sounds deadly dangerous.
The Sun (2010)
It can still be deadly dangerous.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
It was something terrible and deadly.
Arthur Conan Doyle The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1892)
Why are some places interesting, others deadly dull?
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
There, he is deadly when he gets a sniff.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
No, it would have been deadly and hugely dangerous.
The Sun (2012)
Just 5 can buy a vaccine that protects against deadly childhood diseases.
The Sun (2013)
In other languages
deadly
British English: deadly ADJECTIVE
If something is deadly, it can kill a person or animal.
…a deadly disease affecting dolphins.
American English: deadly
Brazilian Portuguese: mortal
Chinese: 致命的
European Spanish: mortal
French: mortel
German: tödlich
Italian: mortale
Japanese: 致命的な
Korean: 치명적인
European Portuguese: mortal
Latin American Spanish: mortal
All related terms of 'deadly'
deadly sins
the sins of pride , covetousness, lust , envy , gluttony , anger , and sloth
deadly attack
To attack a person or place means to try to hurt or damage them using physical violence .
deadly enemy
If someone is your enemy , they hate you or want to harm you.
deadly rival
Your rival is a person, business, or organization who you are competing or fighting against in the same area or for the same things.
deadly disease
A disease is an illness which affects people, animals, or plants, for example one which is caused by bacteria or infection .
deadly infection
An infection is a disease caused by germs or bacteria.
deadly nightshade
a poisonous Eurasian solanaceous plant, Atropa belladonna , having dull purple bell-shaped flowers and small very poisonous black berries
seven deadly sins
→ a fuller name for the deadly sins
Chinese translation of 'deadly'
deadly
(ˈdɛdlɪ)
adj
[poison, disease, dose, weapon]致命的 (zhìmìng de)
(= devastating)[logic, insult]恶(惡)毒的 (èdú de)
adv
deadly dull极(極)其枯燥 (jíqí kūzào)
deadly serious极(極)其严(嚴)肃(肅) (jíqí yánsù)
1 (adjective)
Definition
likely to cause death
a deadly disease currently affecting dolphins
Synonyms
lethal
a lethal dose of sleeping pills
fatal
She had suffered a fatal heart attack.
deathly
a deathly illness
dangerous
devastating
the devastating force of the floods
destructive
the awesome destructive power of nuclear weapons
mortal
a mortal blow
murderous
a series of murderous attacks
poisonous
All parts of the yew tree are poisonous.
toxic
malignant
a malignant weed in the soil
virulent
A virulent form of the disease has appeared in Belgium.
pernicious (formal)
the pernicious effects of alcoholism
noxious
carbon monoxide and other noxious gases
venomous
The adder is Britain's only venomous snake.
baleful
He had a baleful look.
death-dealing
baneful
2 (adjective)
She levelled a deadly look at him.
Synonyms
hard
His father was a hard man.
fierce
the teeth of some fierce animal
harsh
the harsh experience of war
cruel
They should spend a long time in jail to reflect on their cruel acts.
the persecution of prisoners by cruel captors
savage
brutal
He was the victim of a very brutal attack.
grim
a grim fight to the death
stern
He said stern measures would be taken against the criminals.
ruthless
a ruthless totalitarian power
ferocious
Fighting has been ferocious.
unrelenting
in the face of severe opposition and unrelenting criticism
merciless
the merciless efficiency of a modern police state
implacable
barbarous
It was a barbarous attack on a purely civilian train.
pitiless
He saw the pitiless eyes of his enemy.
unfeeling
an unfeeling bully who used his huge size to frighten people
unmerciful
The two men were set upon in an unmerciful and relentless attack.
unpitying
3 (adjective)
Definition
extremely boring
(informal)
She found the party deadly.
Synonyms
boring
boring television programmes
dull
They can both be rather dull.
tedious
the tedious business of line-by-line programming
flat
The past few days have been flat and empty.
monotonous
It's monotonous work, like most factory jobs.
uninteresting
Why did he choose these pale, nerveless, uninteresting people?
mind-numbing
unexciting
ho-hum (informal)
wearisome
a long and wearisome task
as dry as dust
4 (adjective)
The two became deadly enemies.
Synonyms
arch
savage
mortal
He was forced to walk the plank by his mortal enemy, Cut-Throat Jake.
hardline
They've taken a lot of criticism for their hard-line stance.
uncompromising
She is considered a tough and uncompromising negotiator.
inflexible
They viewed him as stubborn, inflexible and dogmatic.
inexorable
the seemingly inexorable rise in unemployment
implacable
the threat of invasion by a ruthless and implacable enemy
irreconcilable
an irreconcilable clash of personalities
intransigent
The worry is that the radicals will grow more intransigent.
unappeasable
5 (adjective)
the fastest and most deadly bowlers in the world today
Synonyms
accurate
The rifle was extremely accurate.
sure
a sure sign of rain
true
The score is usually a true reflection of events on the pitch.
effective
exact
I can't remember the exact words he used.
reliable
She was efficient and reliable.
precise
We will never know the precise details of his death.
on target
He was dead on target when he took the penalty.
infallible
She hit on an infallible solution to all of our problems.
unerring
These designs demonstrate her unerring eye for colour and detail.
unfailing
I would like to thank on Erika for her unfailing care and support.
6 (adjective)
Definition
like or suggestive of death
The deadly pallor of her skin.
Synonyms
deathly
the deathly pallor of her cheeks
white
He turned white and began to stammer.
pale
She looked pale and tired.
ghostly
ghastly
She looked ghastly - frail, thin and colourless.
wan
He looked wan and tired.
pasty
My complexion remained pale and pasty.
colourless
Her face was colourless, and she was shaking.
pallid
His thin, pallid face broke into a smile.
anaemic
Losing a lot of blood makes you tired and anaemic.
ashen
He fell back, shocked, his face ashen.
sallow
His face was sallow and shiny with sweat.
whitish
cadaverous
a tall, thin man with a cadaverous face
waxen
His skin was waxen and pale and his eyes were sunken.
ashy
deathlike
wheyfaced
7 (adjective)
He talked about his job with deadly earnestness.
Synonyms
complete
He made me look like a complete idiot.
total
The car was in a total mess.
I mean I'm not a total idiot.
perfect
She behaved like a perfect fool.
absolute
A sick person needs to have absolute trust in a doctor.
utter
A look of utter confusion swept across his handsome face.
outright
He told me an outright lie.
thorough
I was a thorough little academic snob.
consummate
He was a consummate liar and exaggerator.
dyed-in-the-wool
He was a dyed-in-the-wool conservative.
thoroughgoing
deep-dyed
(adverb)
Definition
extremely
The threat was deadly serious.
Synonyms
completely
Dozens of flats have been completely destroyed.
I have fallen completely in love with him.
quite
It is quite clear that we were firing in self defence.
totally
Young people want something totally different from the old ways.
perfectly
These mushrooms are perfectly safe to eat.
fully
She was fully aware of my thoughts.
entirely
The two cases are entirely different.
absolutely
She is absolutely right.
altogether
She wasn't altogether sorry to be leaving.
thoroughly
We returned home thoroughly contented.
wholly
The accusation is wholly without foundation.
utterly
The new laws coming in are utterly ridiculous.
every inch
a hundred per cent
one hundred per cent
Additional synonyms
in the sense of absolute
Definition
total and complete
A sick person needs to have absolute trust in a doctor.