1
: one who has not paid for a ticket
2
: a dull or stupid person
3
: a partially submerged log
4
Deadhead
: a devoted fan of the rock group the Grateful Dead
The bond between the [Grateful] Dead and the Deadheads was extraordinary.—
Bill Barich
Bill Barich5
gardening
: a faded blossom on a flowering plant
Pansies are still available for late spring bloom. Keep deadheads off.—Edith Henderson
Edith Henderson
deadheaded; deadheading; deadheads
: to remove the faded flowers of (a plant) especially to keep a neat appearance and to promote reblooming by preventing seed production
Examples of deadhead in a Sentence
Noun
people knew that he was a deadhead and voted for him anyway
Verb
She's out in the garden deadheading the rosebushes.
Recent Examples on the Web
Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 9 July 2025
Some gardeners like to deadhead plants early in the season to keep the plant looking tidier, then allow late season flowers to remain in place, providing seed for birds and self-sowing.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 3 July 2025
Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 16 July 2025
Continue to deadhead dahlias throughout their blooming season, as often as once a week, to maximize their flower production.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 11 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for deadhead
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Noun
Dean Budnick: There were already younger people who were drawn to those bands who may or may not have been Deadheads.
—Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 9 July 2025
Some gardeners like to deadhead plants early in the season to keep the plant looking tidier, then allow late season flowers to remain in place, providing seed for birds and self-sowing.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 3 July 2025
Verb
When to Deadhead Plants The best time to deadhead a flower is when its appearance begins to fade or wilt.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 16 July 2025
Continue to deadhead dahlias throughout their blooming season, as often as once a week, to maximize their flower production.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 11 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for deadhead
Cite this Entry
“Deadhead.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deadhead. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share