deadpan

adjective

ˈded-ˌpan How to pronounce deadpan (audio)
Definition of deadpannext
as in blank
not expressing any emotion he delivered the joke in such a deadpan voice that we thought at first that he was serious

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of deadpan And there’s also a lovely, unexpected romance in there waiting to tentatively reveal itself … As for Reacher himself, his deadpan humor remains impeccable. — James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 11 Aug. 2026 The whole supporting cast is great, but look out for Saskia Chana as Leila’s best friend Deniz, a fount of withering lines delivered with deadpan panache. — Judy Berman, Time, 11 Aug. 2026 Plaza talked to The New Yorker about how fans sometimes try to emulate her deadpan persona. — Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Aug. 2026 Manco isn’t necessarily the most dynamic protagonist in the world, but he’s centered and relatable in his anxiety over aging and his genuine love for Sammy, and an amusing deadpan presence with an accent the actor commits too. — Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 25 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for deadpan
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deadpan
  1. blank
  2. expressionless
  3. enigmatic
  4. impassive
  5. stolid
Adjective
  • Seko is advising shippers to build seven- to 10-day-plus buffers into east China bookings and prepare for potential port omissions, blank sailings and cargo diversions to alternative gateways including Qingdao, Busan and Hong Kong.
    — Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 27 Aug. 2026
  • The familiar last name and near-blank political slate pulled him in.
    — Saige Miller, NPR, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of blank
Adjective
  • The 47-year-old, wearing a blue suit and blue tie, was expressionless as the charges against him were described.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 19 May 2026
  • The routine calls for this chic, almost expressionless vibe — very different from a typical K-pop performance.
    — Billboard Korea, Billboard, 26 Nov. 2025
Definition of expressionless
Adjective
  • For the next 90 days, NASA teams will ready the Roman telescope for its five-year mission to study enigmatic phenomena like dark matter while hunting for habitable worlds beyond our solar system.
    — Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Matt, whose perspective is largely withheld, remains the most enigmatic of the group, and the one most desperately sought after.
    — Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of enigmatic
Adjective
  • Lancelot, noticeably weary, impassive, and preoccupied atop an equally weary black horse, follows the sorcerer, while Merlin leads him up the path into the realm of shadows, out of the frame to the left.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 July 2026
  • Riles’s face is impassive, focused, as the announcer reads out the winner.
    — Sam Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 1 July 2026
Definition of impassive
Adjective
  • Many Labour members hope Burnham’s people skills and charisma can connect with the public more than the stolid, managerial Starmer could ever do.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 23 June 2026
  • Many Labor members hope Burnham’s people skills and charisma can connect with the public more than the stolid, managerial Starmer could ever do.
    — Jill Lawless, Los Angeles Times, 23 June 2026
Definition of stolid

Browse Nearby Words

dead-on
deadpan
dead presidents
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Cite this Entry

“Deadpan.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deadpan. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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