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
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Recent Examples of deadpan
Duane sets the precedent for what will turn out to be a lengthy comedy career for Walken, delivering wildly ridiculous dialogue with a deadpan expression and at point blank range.
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Joe Tobal, EW.com, 9 Dec. 2022
Doesn’t the Television Academy see the deadpan delivery and cool millennial style Selena Gomez constantly brings to the table?
—Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 12 Sep. 2022
This deadpan dramedy from Finnish director and writer Aki Kaurismäki could be the ultimate anti-Christmas movie.
—Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 Dec. 2022
During episode four, young Wednesday, played with perfect deadpan glee by Jenna Ortega, dominates the dance floor at her boarding school Nevermore Academy’s annual Rave ‘N Ball.
—cleveland, 19 Dec. 2022
See all Example Sentences for deadpan 
Joe Tobal, EW.com, 9 Dec. 2022
Doesn’t the Television Academy see the deadpan delivery and cool millennial style Selena Gomez constantly brings to the table?
—Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 12 Sep. 2022
This deadpan dramedy from Finnish director and writer Aki Kaurismäki could be the ultimate anti-Christmas movie.
—Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 Dec. 2022
During episode four, young Wednesday, played with perfect deadpan glee by Jenna Ortega, dominates the dance floor at her boarding school Nevermore Academy’s annual Rave ‘N Ball.
—cleveland, 19 Dec. 2022
See all Example Sentences for deadpan
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deadpan
Adjective
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The chicken is tender and juicy, a blank canvas for a few meals..Alex Beggs, Bon Appétit, 12 Dec. 2024
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In the video, Isabel stares into the camera with wide eyes and a blank expression, clearly astonished.Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Subjects were shown pictures of two expressionless male faces over and over.Elizabeth Preston, Discover Magazine, 11 Sep. 2012
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Bale ran to the corner of the pitch, and, having been an expressionless bystander for much of the evening, shouted in ecstasy.Hua Hsu, The New Yorker, 21 Nov. 2022
Adjective
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And thanks to Chalamet grabbing a guitar and harmonica, the Bob Dylan movie is positively electric chronicling the enigmatic singer's early years in the 1960s.Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 12 Dec. 2024
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The trope of the toxic drama teacher rears its head: David and Sarah’s enigmatic acting teacher, Mr. Kingsley, manipulates their emotions and desires in the name of art.Tajja Isen, The Atlantic, 11 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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As for the Bruckner, the Berliners succeeded in animating a figure who is too often treated as an impassive statue.Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 9 Dec. 2024
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Navigating the new era of AI innovation While Keith Davidson faces ongoing questioning, former president Donald Trump is largely an impassive figure in...Washington Post, Washington Post, 25 May 2024
Adjective
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Blink Twice nods at a tangle of different contemporary ailments: lifestyle fetishism, wellness hedonism, our obscene fealty to stolid tech bros and their untrammeled wealth.Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 6 Dec. 2024
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Allies say Starmer’s stolid exterior hides a steely ambition and a determination to win.Jill Lawless, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 May 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Deadpan.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deadpan. Accessed 17 Dec. 2024.
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