deadhead
1 of 2noun
dead·head ˈded-ˌhed 
1
: one who has not paid for a ticket
2
: a dull or stupid person
3
: a partially submerged log
4
Deadhead : a devoted fan of the rock group the Grateful Dead
The bond between the [Grateful] Dead and the Deadheads was extraordinary.
Bill Barich
Bill Barich5
gardening : a faded blossom on a flowering plant
Pansies are still available for late spring bloom. Keep deadheads off. Edith Henderson
Edith Hendersondeadhead
2 of 2verb
deadheaded; deadheading; deadheads
intransitive verb
1
: to make especially a return trip without a load
2
: to deadhead a plant
transitive verb
: to remove the faded flowers of (a plant) especially to keep a neat appearance and to promote reblooming by preventing seed production
Synonyms
Noun
- airhead
- birdbrain
- blockhead
- bonehead
- bubblehead
- chowderhead
- chucklehead
- clodpoll
- clodpole
- clot [British]
- cluck
- clunk
- cretin
- cuddy [British dialect]
- cuddie
- dim bulb [slang]
- dimwit
- dip
- dodo
- dolt
- donkey
- doofus [slang]
- dope
- dork [slang]
- dullard
- dum-dum
- dumbbell
- dumbhead
- dummkopf
- dummy
- dunce
- dunderhead
- fathead
- gander
- golem
- goof
- goon
- half-wit
- hammerhead
- hardhead
- idiot
- ignoramus
- imbecile
- jackass
- know-nothing
- knucklehead
- lamebrain
- loggerhead [chiefly dialect]
- loon
- lump
- lunkhead
- meathead
- mome [archaic]
- moron
- mug [chiefly British]
- mutt
- natural
- nimrod [slang]
- nincompoop
- ninny
- ninnyhammer
- nit [chiefly British]
- nitwit
- noddy
- noodle
- numskull
- numbskull
- oaf
- pinhead
- prat [British]
- ratbag [chiefly Australian]
- saphead
- schlub [slang]
- shlub
- schnook [slang]
- simpleton
- stock
- stupe
- stupid
- thickhead
- turkey
- woodenhead
- yahoo
- yo-yo
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Noun people knew that he was a deadhead and voted for him anyway Verb She's out in the garden deadheading the rosebushes.
Recent Examples on the Web Sam Abuelsamid, Forbes, 6 Oct. 2021 After blooming, deadhead and retain the green shoots until brown, then remove. Jodi Bay, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Sep. 2021 Even at-home style was dominated by two completely different aesthetics: cottagecore versus gratitude journal deadhead. Steff Yotka, Vogue, 10 Dec. 2020 In very hot inland areas, be more conservative and deadhead very lightly. Rita Perwich, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Sep. 2020 Use zinnias as cut flowers or deadhead spent blooms to encourage new blooms. Calvin Finch, ExpressNews.com, 4 June 2020 Uber spokesman Harry Hartfield said the company is still not convinced that the garage is the best way to cut down on the deadhead trips. BostonGlobe.com, 24 Dec. 2019 After all, a deadhead relaxing in a passenger seat is paid the same as a working crew member. Elliott Hester, latimes.com, 1 July 2019 Recently Jonah Hill has been dressing like a former deadhead turned dad, recovered burnout, and grillmaster who just likes to unwind on weekends. Liz Raiss, GQ, 1 June 2018 Joanne Kempinger Demski, Journal Sentinel, 25 Aug. 2022 Another good reason to deadhead is to encourage flowers to rebloom. Susan Brownstein, cleveland, 9 Aug. 2022 As flowers start to fade, deadhead frequently to encourage new buds and blooms. Nan Sterman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Apr. 2022 Second, when the flowers are finished making their show, deadhead the old blooms to keep them from going to seed. Paul Cappiello, The Courier-Journal, 7 Jan. 2022 Whenever practical, continue to deadhead cool-season annuals such as pansies, snapdragons and dianthus to keep them blooming through the spring. Dan Gill, NOLA.com, 22 Dec. 2020 On the least healthy bushes, maintain foliage and deadhead just the bloom. Rita Perwich, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Sep. 2020 Kris doesn't deadhead her peonies even though some people believe that doing so can increase the flowers of certain varieties the following year. Johanna Silver, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Apr. 2020 The latest rules are supposed to reduce deadheading by 30 percent. BostonGlobe.com, 12 Dec. 2019 See More
Noun
This approach allows an Origin to make multiple deliveries on each trip, thus minimizing the deadhead miles and reducing unit costs and road congestion. Sam Abuelsamid, Forbes, 6 Oct. 2021 After blooming, deadhead and retain the green shoots until brown, then remove. Jodi Bay, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Sep. 2021 Even at-home style was dominated by two completely different aesthetics: cottagecore versus gratitude journal deadhead. Steff Yotka, Vogue, 10 Dec. 2020 In very hot inland areas, be more conservative and deadhead very lightly. Rita Perwich, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Sep. 2020 Use zinnias as cut flowers or deadhead spent blooms to encourage new blooms. Calvin Finch, ExpressNews.com, 4 June 2020 Uber spokesman Harry Hartfield said the company is still not convinced that the garage is the best way to cut down on the deadhead trips. BostonGlobe.com, 24 Dec. 2019 After all, a deadhead relaxing in a passenger seat is paid the same as a working crew member. Elliott Hester, latimes.com, 1 July 2019 Recently Jonah Hill has been dressing like a former deadhead turned dad, recovered burnout, and grillmaster who just likes to unwind on weekends. Liz Raiss, GQ, 1 June 2018 Verb
The best way to keep a plant blooming is to deadhead the blooms. Joanne Kempinger Demski, Journal Sentinel, 25 Aug. 2022 Another good reason to deadhead is to encourage flowers to rebloom. Susan Brownstein, cleveland, 9 Aug. 2022 As flowers start to fade, deadhead frequently to encourage new buds and blooms. Nan Sterman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Apr. 2022 Second, when the flowers are finished making their show, deadhead the old blooms to keep them from going to seed. Paul Cappiello, The Courier-Journal, 7 Jan. 2022 Whenever practical, continue to deadhead cool-season annuals such as pansies, snapdragons and dianthus to keep them blooming through the spring. Dan Gill, NOLA.com, 22 Dec. 2020 On the least healthy bushes, maintain foliage and deadhead just the bloom. Rita Perwich, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Sep. 2020 Kris doesn't deadhead her peonies even though some people believe that doing so can increase the flowers of certain varieties the following year. Johanna Silver, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Apr. 2020 The latest rules are supposed to reduce deadheading by 30 percent. BostonGlobe.com, 12 Dec. 2019 See More Word History
First Known Use
Noun
1841, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb
1911, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1
deadhead
noun
as in idiot
a stupid person people knew that he was a deadhead and voted for him anyway Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- idiot
- moron
- stupid
- knucklehead
- loser
- bonehead
- lunatic
- airhead
- prat
- fool
- dolt
- mutt
- donkey
- dullard
- jackass
- imbecile
- dimwit
- nimrod
- saphead
- hardhead
- lunkhead
- dope
- chucklehead
- stupe
- dummy
- meathead
- doofus
- pinhead
- goose
- dunderhead
- ignoramus
- dumbhead
- jerk
- goof
- blockhead
- natural
- numskull
- chowderhead
- nincompoop
- clown
- turkey
- dip
- dork
- lamebrain
- bubblehead
- numbskull
- stock
- skunk
- dunce
- cretin
- schnook
- loon
- nitwit
- oaf
- noddy
- ninny
- birdbrain
- goon
- hammerhead
- lump
- know-nothing
- dodo
- cuddy
- yahoo
- cuddie
- noodle
- clot
- ratbag
- cluck
- clodpole
- thickhead
- clunk
- dim bulb
- half-wit
- woodenhead
- simpleton
- clodpoll
- ninnyhammer
- fathead
- dumbbell
- gander
- dumb cluck
- nit
- mome
- loggerhead
- shlub
- dummkopf
- schlub
- golem
- loony
- villain
- buffoon
- yo-yo
- dum-dum
- snake
- booby
- creep
- madman
- zany
- nut
- heel
- scatterbrain
- gawk
- cur
- mug
- stinker
- beast
- boor
- cad
- churl
- featherbrain
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- brain
- sage
- genius
- thinker
- intellectual
- intellect
- whiz
- wizard
- polymath
- sharpie
- Renaissance man
- sharpy