dead ringer

noun

, Slang.

1. a person or thing that closely resembles another; ringer:

   That old car is a dead ringer for the one we used to own.

Word History and Origins

Origin of dead ringer¹

First recorded in 1890–95

Idioms and Phrases

A person or thing that closely resembles another; an exact counterpart. For example, Brian's a dead ringer for his Dad , or That red bike is a dead ringer for Mary's . [Late 1800s]

Example Sentences

Their narrow snouts and sharp, curved teeth could’ve been a dead ringer for the domes of the more familiar Australian terrors, though the two species are not directly related.

From Popular-Science

Looking at those weirdly shaped breads provided a much-needed injection of serotonin, and what’s more, standing upright next to each other, bread tube breads are a dead ringer for the cover of the Wilco album Yankee Hotel Foxtrot.

From Eater

And the kid playing Biggie is a dead ringer for the silky smooth MC.

From The Daily Beast

At the Tony Awards on Sunday night, Christie Brinkley was a dead ringer for Miss USA contestant Carrie Prejean.

From The Daily Beast

It also helps when your tour guide is a dead ringer for the actress Mila Kunis, as ours is at Bates.

From The Daily Beast

It is a dead-ringer for The Cheesecake Factory with endless pages of weirdly-paired choices from Vichysoisse to Pad Thai.

From The Daily Beast

She used to be a dead ringer for Elaine on Seinfeld until this election.

From The Daily Beast

Isn't Ida's a dead ringer for the lady's head on the silver dollar?

From Project Gutenberg

That fresh guy is a dead ringer for a feller that quit his wife and five kids in Livingston and run off with a biscuit-shooter.

From Project Gutenberg

The signature he put on this paper is a dead ringer for the one on the registry blank you gave Dale.

From Project Gutenberg

To cut it short--he got himself a white-speckled mustang that's a dead ringer for Spottie.

From Project Gutenberg

For the dinky little picture under the cameo is a dead ringer for the one Claire had shown us in the silver frame.

From Project Gutenberg