the dead

noun

: the state of being dead

—usually used in the phrases rise from the dead or come back from the dead or return from the dead to mean to become alive again after dying

For a moment, I thought that my grandfather had come back from the dead.

They believe that Jesus Christ rose from the dead.

Examples of the dead in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Health officials inside Hamas-run Gaza do not distinguish between civilians and combatants, but say more than half of the dead in the enclave are women and children. —

Jon Gambrell, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2024 These figures not only symbolize the return of the dead, but also reflect a connection with ancient spirits. —

Arath Zumaya Muñoz, Vogue, 2 Nov. 2024 Bread of the dead: To represent our own mortality and bones, the bread has four stripes atop it to create a cross. —

Ana Rocío Álvarez Bríñez, The Courier-Journal, 1 Nov. 2024 The intrigue: It's believed the dead return to Earth to walk among the living for a short time. —

Kim Bojórquez, Axios, 1 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for the dead

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'the dead.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.