What does DEADLY mean?

Definitions for DEADLY
ˈdɛd lidead·ly

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word DEADLY.

Princeton's WordNet

  1. deadly, deathly, mortaladjective

    causing or capable of causing death

    "a fatal accident"; "a deadly enemy"; "mortal combat"; "a mortal illness"

  2. deadly, lethaladjective

    of an instrument of certain death

    "deadly poisons"; "lethal weapon"; "a lethal injection"

  3. deadly, venomous, virulentadjective

    extremely poisonous or injurious; producing venom

    "venomous snakes"; "a virulent insect bite"

  4. deadly, mortal(a)adjective

    involving loss of divine grace or spiritual death

    "the seven deadly sins"

  5. baneful, deadly, pernicious, pestilentadjective

    exceedingly harmful

  6. deadlyadverb

    (of a disease) having a rapid course and violent effect

  7. deadly, lifelesslyadverb

    as if dead

  8. madly, insanely, deadly, deucedly, devilishlyadverb

    (used as intensives) extremely

    "she was madly in love"; "deadly dull"; "deadly earnest"; "deucedly clever"; "insanely jealous"

Wiktionary

  1. deadlyadverb

    Fatally, mortally.

  2. deadlyadverb

    In a way which suggests death.

    Her face suddenly became deadly white.

  3. deadlyadverb

    Extremely.

  4. deadlyadjective

    Subject to death; mortal.

  5. deadlyadjective

    Causing death; lethal.

  6. deadlyadjective

    very accurate (of aiming with a bow, firearm, etc.)

  7. deadlyadjective

    very boring

  8. deadlyadjective

    excellent, awesome, cool

  9. Etymology: deadlic (adj.), deadlice (adv.), corresponding to. Cognate with Dutch dodelijk, German tödlich.

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary

  1. Deadlyadjective

    Etymology: from dead.

    She that herself will shiver and disbranch
    From her material sap, perforce must wither,
    And come to deadly use. William Shakespeare, King Lear.

    She then on Romeo calls,
    As if that name,
    Shot from the deadly level of a gun,
    Did murther her. William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet.

    Dry mourning will decay more deadly bring,
    As a North wind burns a too forward Spring;
    Give sorrow vent, and let the sluices go. John Dryden, Aurengb.

    The Numidians, in number infinite, are deadly enemies unto the Turks. Richard Knolles, History of the Turks.

  2. Deadlyadverb

    Like dumb statues, or unbreathing stones,
    Star’d each on other, and look’d deadly pale. William Shakespeare, R. III.

    Young Arcite heard, and up he ran with haste,
    And ask’d him why he look’d so deadly wan. John Dryden, Fables.

    I will break Pharaoh’s arms, and he shall groan before him with the groanings of a deadly wounded man. Ez. xxx. 24.

    Mettled schoolboys set to cuff,
    Will not confess that they have done enough,
    Though deadly weary. Orrery.

    John had got an impression, that Lewis was so deadly cunning a man, that he was afraid to venture himself alone with him. John Arbuthnot, History of John Bull.

ChatGPT

  1. deadly

    Deadly refers to something that is likely to cause or is capable of causing death; lethal, fatal, or life-threatening. It can also refer to something highly dangerous, ominous or with adverse effects. In a figurative or casual sense, it can imply something extremely accurate, effective or skillful.

Webster Dictionary

  1. Deadlyadjective

    capable of causing death; mortal; fatal; destructive; certain or likely to cause death; as, a deadly blow or wound

  2. Deadlyadjective

    aiming or willing to destroy; implacable; desperately hostile; flagitious; as, deadly enemies

  3. Deadlyadjective

    subject to death; mortal

  4. Deadlyadverb

    in a manner resembling, or as if produced by, death

  5. Deadlyadverb

    in a manner to occasion death; mortally

  6. Deadlyadverb

    in an implacable manner; destructively

  7. Deadlyadverb

    extremely

Wikidata

  1. Deadly

    Deadly! is a series of children's books written by Morris Gleitzman and Paul Jennings first published in 2000.

Usage in printed sourcesFrom: 

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Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of DEADLY in Chaldean Numerology is: 9

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of DEADLY in Pythagorean Numerology is: 6

Examples of DEADLY in a Sentence

  1. Kelly Nokes:

    While The EPA is encouraging that The EPA is taking at least some minimal action to protect the public from deadly M-44s, updating a few use restrictions -- nearly impossible to enforce and commonly ignored -- fails to meaningfully address the problem, the EPA is blatantly ignoring The EPA fundamental duty to protect the public, our pets, and native wildlife from the cruel, lethal impacts of cyanide bombs lurking on our public lands.

  2. Kimberly Gardner:

    It is illegal to wave weapons in a threatening manner at those participating in nonviolent protest, and while we are fortunate this situation did not escalate into deadly force, this type of conduct is unacceptable in St. Louis.

  3. President Obama:

    We also know that when people are armed with powerful weapons, unfortunately it makes attacks like these more deadly and more tragic, and in the days ahead we’re going to have to consider those realities as well.

  4. Mark Woodward:

    There's so much attention -- not just in Oklahoma, but nationwide -- on the opioid crisis, but our single most deadly individual drug is methamphetamine.

  5. Omar Khayyam:

    To friends and eke to foes true kindness show; No kindly heart unkindly deeds will do; Harshness will alienate a bosom friend. And kindness reconcile a deadly foe.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

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Translations for DEADLY

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"DEADLY." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2025. Web. 21 Jan. 2025. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/DEADLY>.

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    (of a flowering plant) having two cotyledons in the seed
    A numinous
    B bristly
    C tantamount
    D dicotyledonous

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