DEADLY (deadlier, deadliest)
Dictionary entry overview: What does deadly mean?
• DEADLY (adjective)
The adjective DEADLY has 6 senses:
1. causing or capable of causing death
2. of an instrument of certain death
3. extremely poisonous or injurious; producing venom
4. involving loss of divine grace or spiritual death
5. exceedingly harmful
6. (of a disease) having a rapid course and violent effect
Familiarity information: DEADLY used as an adjective is common.
• DEADLY (adverb)
The adverb DEADLY has 3 senses:
1. as if dead
2. as if produced by death
3. (used as intensives) extremely
Familiarity information: DEADLY used as an adverb is uncommon.
Dictionary entry details
• DEADLY (adjective)
Meaning:
Causing or capable of causing death
Synonyms:
deadly; deathly; mortal
Context examples:
a fatal accident / a deadly enemy / mortal combat / a mortal illness
Similar:
fatal (bringing death)
Meaning:
Of an instrument of certain death
Synonyms:
lethal; deadly
Context examples:
deadly poisons / lethal weapon / a lethal injection
Similar:
fatal (bringing death)
Meaning:
Extremely poisonous or injurious; producing venom
Synonyms:
venomous; virulent; deadly
Context examples:
venomous snakes / a virulent insect bite
Similar:
toxic (of or relating to or caused by a toxin or poison)
Meaning:
Involving loss of divine grace or spiritual death
Synonyms:
mortal; deadly
Context example:
the seven deadly sins
Similar:
unpardonable (not admitting of pardon)
Domain category:
divinity; theology (the rational and systematic study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truth)
Meaning:
Exceedingly harmful
Synonyms:
baneful; pernicious; pestilent; deadly
Similar:
harmful; noxious (injurious to physical or mental health)
Meaning:
(of a disease) having a rapid course and violent effect
Similar:
virulent (infectious; having the ability to cause disease)
• DEADLY (adverb)
Meaning:
As if dead
Synonyms:
deadly; lifelessly
Pertainym:
dead (not showing characteristics of life especially the capacity to sustain life; no longer exerting force or having energy or heat)
Meaning:
As if produced by death
Context examples:
deadly pale / a deadly paralytic stroke
Meaning:
(used as intensives) extremely
Synonyms:
deucedly; insanely; madly; devilishly; deadly
Context examples:
she was madly in love / deadly dull / deadly earnest / deucedly clever / insanely jealous
Domain usage:
intensifier; intensive (a modifier that has little meaning except to intensify the meaning it modifies)
