deadly
gb/dˈɛdli/ us/dˈɛdli/
B1
Inglés
~ 9200
Acepciones
0 acepciones
adjective
B1
property
1
able to cause death; fatal
Able to kill someone, or very likely to kill.
Patrón de uso:
a deadly [disease/weapon/attack]
Error frecuente:
Learners sometimes confuse 'deadly' with 'dead' or 'deathly'. Use 'deadly' before a noun to mean 'able to cause death' (a deadly virus). 'Dead' describes something that is no longer alive (a dead animal). 'Deathly' is used mainly for things that are like death in appearance or feeling (deathly pale, deathly silence). Learners also overuse 'deadly' to mean simply 'very bad'; in its literal sense it must involve real danger of death.
Sinónimos
lethal (More formal and technical, often used in legal, military, or medical contexts.)
|
fatal (Stresses that something actually causes death, especially an injury or accident outcome.)
|
killer (Informal; often used before a noun, can sound dramatic rather than strictly factual.)
Antónimos
harmless (Emphasizes that something cannot hurt or kill anyone.)
|
safe (Focuses on being free from danger, including the danger of death.)
Colocaciones
deadly weapon
|deadly disease
|deadly virus
|deadly poison
|deadly force
|deadly attack
Temas
health
|safety
|violence
|core_vocabulary
Ejemplos
- The doctor warned that this strain of flu can be deadly for older people.
- Police found a stash of deadly weapons hidden under the floor.
- It was a deadly snake whose bite can kill a person in minutes.
- The factory released a deadly gas that spread through the town.
- Using your phone while driving can lead to deadly accidents.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
- Smoking can be a deadly habit.
- He drank a deadly poison by mistake.
- They were afraid of the deadly virus.
- The storm caused a deadly flood in the city.
- That cliff is a deadly place to play.
adjective
B2
property
2
extremely serious or dangerous
Very, very serious or dangerous, but not always about real death.
Patrón de uso:
a deadly [mistake/enemy/silence]
Error frecuente:
Learners sometimes think this meaning must involve real death. In phrases like 'deadly silence' or 'deadly mistake', 'deadly' only means 'extremely serious' or 'very strong'. Also, some learners try to use 'very deadly'; this sounds odd because 'deadly' already includes the idea of 'very'.
Sinónimos
extreme (General word for very strong degree; may sound less dramatic than 'deadly'.)
|
dire (Formal and literary; stresses very serious or urgent danger.)
Antónimos
mild (Suggests low intensity or seriousness, the opposite of 'deadly' strength.)
|
trivial (Emphasizes that something is unimportant, not serious at all.)
Colocaciones
deadly serious
|deadly silence
|deadly enemy
|deadly mistake
|deadly combination
|deadly rivalry
Temas
danger
|emotions
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Ejemplos
- She made a deadly mistake that almost cost the company millions.
- There was a deadly silence in the room when he announced the layoffs.
- They have been deadly enemies since the court case ten years ago.
- Mixing these two powerful drugs can be a deadly combination.
- The team showed a deadly focus during the final minutes of the game.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
- He is a deadly enemy to our plan.
- The teacher gave her a deadly look when she talked in class.
- There was a deadly silence after his rude joke.
- It was a deadly mistake to lie to his boss.
- These two ideas together are a deadly combination for success.
adjective
informal
C1
property
3
extremely boring; painfully dull
So boring that you really do not want to listen to it or watch it.
Patrón de uso:
a deadly [film/lecture/party]
Error frecuente:
Learners may think 'deadly' always means 'able to kill', so using it to mean 'boring' can be confusing. This sense is informal and mainly used in British and Irish English; in many situations 'very boring' or 'extremely boring' is clearer. Avoid using this sense in formal writing.
Sinónimos
dull (More common and neutral; usually sounds less strong than 'deadly'.)
|
mind-numbing (Informal and vivid; suggests extreme, almost painful boredom.)
Antónimos
fascinating (Highlights that something is very interesting, the opposite of 'deadly' here.)
|
entertaining (Focuses on giving pleasure and interest rather than boredom.)
Colocaciones
deadly dull
|deadly boring
|deadly lecture
|deadly speech
|deadly party
Temas
evaluation
|entertainment
|emotions
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Ejemplos
- The lecture was deadly, and half the class fell asleep.
- I tried to read that book, but it was absolutely deadly.
- The party was deadly; everyone left before midnight.
- His presentation was deadly and full of statistics nobody cared about.
- The movie looked exciting in the trailer, but it turned out to be deadly.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
- The class was deadly, and I was bored.
- It was a deadly film with no action.
- Her speech was long and deadly.
- The meeting was deadly and felt like it would never end.
- That TV show is deadly; I never watch it.
adverb
informal
B2
property
4
extremely; to a great degree
Used before an adjective or adverb to mean 'very, very'.
Patrón de uso:
deadly [adjective/adverb]
Error frecuente:
Learners sometimes use this informal adverb in very formal writing, where 'extremely' or 'very' would be better. Also, some confuse this with the adjective meaning 'able to kill' and think 'deadly serious' must refer to death; in most everyday cases, it only means 'extremely serious'.
Sinónimos
extremely (Neutral and usable in any context; slightly more formal than 'deadly' in this sense.)
|
terribly (Informal intensifier with a similar emotional tone, often negative.)
Antónimos
slightly (Shows only a small degree, which is the opposite of 'deadly' strength here.)
|
barely (Means 'almost not at all', opposing the strong degree of 'deadly'.)
Colocaciones
deadly serious
|deadly boring
|deadly dull
|deadly slow
|deadly accurate
|deadly afraid
Temas
intensity
|informal_speech
|core_vocabulary
Ejemplos
- She was deadly serious when she said she might quit.
- I'm deadly tired after working a double shift.
- The roads were deadly quiet at that hour.
- He was deadly afraid of making a mistake.
- The striker was deadly accurate in front of goal tonight.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
- He was deadly tired after the long trip.
- She looked deadly serious during the meeting.
- I was deadly afraid to talk to my boss.
- The train was deadly slow this morning.
- That game was deadly boring for me.
Gramática
Forma de diccionario
deadly
AFI
GB/dˈɛdli/
US/dˈɛdli/
Sílabas y acento
deadly (1 sílaba)
Stress on 1st syllable (deadly)
Formas de la palabra
Adjective
- Base: deadly
- Comparative: deadlier
- Superlative: deadliest
Familia de palabras
Expresiones
deadly accurate
1/dˈɛdli ˈækjɚɪt/
fixed phrase
extremely accurate or precise
So accurate that it is very effective, and sometimes dangerous.
Ejemplos
- The sniper was deadly accurate with every shot.
- Her predictions about the market were deadly accurate.
deadly attack
1/dˈɛdli ətˈæk/
fixed phrase
attack that results in deaths
An act of violence where people are killed.
Ejemplos
- Several people died in a deadly attack on the city center.
- The president condemned the deadly attack and promised an investigation.
deadly boring
1/dˈɛdli bˈɔɹɪŋ/
fixed phrase
informal
extremely boring
Very, very boring.
Ejemplos
- The film was deadly boring, and I almost fell asleep.
- He gave a deadly boring speech that went on for an hour.
deadly combination
1/dˈɛdli kˌɑmbənˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
very dangerous or powerful mix
Two or more things that, when put together, become very dangerous or very powerful.
Ejemplos
- Speed and alcohol are a deadly combination on the road.
- Her intelligence and charm are a deadly combination in politics.
deadly disease
1/dˈɛdli dɪzˈiz/
fixed phrase
disease that often kills
A serious illness that kills many of the people who have it.
Ejemplos
- Scientists are racing to find a cure for the deadly disease.
- Vaccines have helped to control many deadly diseases.
deadly dull
1/dˈɛdli dˈʌl/
fixed phrase
informal
extremely dull and uninteresting
Very dull and boring.
Ejemplos
- The meeting was deadly dull, but we had to stay until the end.
- I find that kind of small talk deadly dull.
deadly enemy
1/dˈɛdli ˈɛnəmi/
fixed phrase
very strong and lasting enemy
Someone who hates another person very much and may want to hurt them badly.
Ejemplos
- The two men became deadly enemies after the court case.
- In the story, the hero faces his deadly enemy in the final scene.
deadly force
1/dˈɛdli fˈɔɹs/
fixed phrase
technical
force likely to cause death
Physical power used in a way that is likely to kill someone.
Ejemplos
- Officers are only allowed to use deadly force as a last resort.
- The report questioned whether the use of deadly force was necessary.
deadly poison
1/dˈɛdli pˈɔɪzən/
fixed phrase
poison that can kill
A substance that can kill you if you drink it, eat it, or get it into your body.
Ejemplos
- The berries contain a deadly poison if eaten in large amounts.
- He was killed by a dose of deadly poison.
deadly serious
1/dˈɛdli sˈɪɹiəs/
fixed phrase
extremely serious; not joking
Very serious and not joking at all.
Ejemplos
- I thought he was kidding, but he was deadly serious.
- She looked deadly serious when she said she might leave the company.
deadly silence
1/dˈɛdli sˈaɪləns/
fixed phrase
literary
complete and intense silence
A very complete and heavy silence, which can feel strange or tense.
Ejemplos
- A deadly silence fell over the room after the accident.
- There was a deadly silence when the teacher asked who had cheated.
deadly virus
1/dˈɛdli vˈaɪɹəs/
fixed phrase
virus that often causes death
A very dangerous virus that kills many people who get it.
Ejemplos
- The government is trying to stop the spread of a deadly virus.
- A new vaccine may protect people from this deadly virus.
deadly weapon
1/dˈɛdli wˈɛpən/
fixed phrase
weapon capable of killing
A weapon, such as a gun or knife, that can easily kill someone.
Ejemplos
- Carrying a deadly weapon without a license is a serious crime.
- The suspect was found with a deadly weapon in his backpack.
the seven deadly sins
1/ðə sˈɛvən dˈɛdli sˈɪnz/
fixed phrase
literary
seven major Christian sins
In Christian tradition, a group of seven very serious bad actions or attitudes, such as pride and greed.
Ejemplos
- Pride is often listed as the worst of the seven deadly sins.
- The book uses the seven deadly sins as a way to talk about modern life.