deadly

[ ded-lee ]

adjective

, dead·li·er, dead·li·est.

1. causing or tending to cause death; fatal; lethal:

   a deadly poison.

2. aiming to kill or destroy; implacable:

   a deadly enemy.

3. like death:

   a deadly pallor.

4. excruciatingly boring:

   The dinner party was absolutely deadly.

   Synonyms: dreary, tedious, dull

5. excessive; inordinate:

   deadly haste.

6. extremely accurate:

   Annie Oakley was a deadly shot.

adverb

1. in a manner resembling or suggesting death:

   deadly pale.

2. excessively; completely:

   deadly dull.

deadly

/ ˈdɛdlɪ /

adjective

1. likely to cause death

   deadly poison

   deadly combat

2. informal.
   extremely boring

adverb

1. like death in appearance or certainty

   deadly pale

   a deadly sleep

Derived Forms

• ˈdeadliness, noun

Other Words From

• deadli·ness noun
• non·deadly adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of deadly¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English deedli(ch), Old English dēadlīce; dead, -ly

Synonym Study

See fatal.

Example Sentences

The deaths remain under police investigation, but news reports and testimonies online from other tourists suggest they may have consumed drinks laced with methanol, a deadly substance often found in bootleg alcohol.

From BBC

News reports and testimonies on social media from other tourists suggest they may have consumed drinks laced with methanol, a deadly substance often found in bootleg alcohol.

From BBC

The deaths remain under police investigation, but news reports and testimonies from fellow tourists suggest they may have consumed drinks laced with methanol, a deadly substance often found in bootleg alcohol.

From BBC

Ms Boudreaux was arrested and charged with four counts, including home invasion with a deadly weapon.

From BBC

Newspapers are back to using words like toxic, deadly and poisonous in their main headlines.

From BBC

Related Words

• bloody
• carcinogenic
• cruel
• dangerous
• destructive
• fatal
• harmful
• lethal
• malignant
• mortal
• murderous
• noxious
• pernicious
• poisonous
• savage
• suicidal
• toxic
• violent
• virulent