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View synonyms for

deadpan

[ ded-pan ]

adjective

  1. marked by or accomplished with a careful pretense of seriousness or calm detachment; impassive or expressionless:

    deadpan humor.

  2. displaying no emotional or personal involvement:

    a deadpan style.



adverb

  1. in a deadpan manner:

    He spoke his lines utterly deadpan.

verb (used with or without object)

deadpanned, deadpanning.
  1. to behave or perform in a deadpan manner.

noun

  1. a face showing no expression.
  2. a style of comedy that relies on the comedian's maintaining such a face.

deadpan

/ ˈɛˌæ /

adjective

  1. with a deliberately emotionless face or manner

    deadpan humour

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Other Word Forms

  • dead panner noun
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Word History and Origins

Origin of deadpan1

An Americanism dating back to 1925–30; dead + pan 1 (in the slang sense “face”)
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Her hilariously deadpan assessment of it all over the family meal the following night is a grumble: “It’s stupid.”

From

“So, I don’t recommend my services,” she said, deadpanning.

From

“Uncharted territory,” Roberts deadpanned of the team’s first loss.

From

The actors "harvesting" spaghetti strands give committed performances, and the late Richard Dimbleby's deadpan narration lends an air of authenticity to the report.

From

Freeman deadpanned that compared to Dodger Stadium’s four-month timeline, it took a wine cellar he installed at his home “about eight months to do, so I’m kinda confused.”

From

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