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
Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 4 June 2025
With their sticky foliage and stems, petunias have never been an enjoyable plant to deadhead.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 29 Mar. 2025
Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 6 June 2025
Prevent Seeds Another important reason to deadhead a peony is to prevent it from making seeds.
—Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 May 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
Taking the time to deadhead petunias will keep your plants blooming all summer long.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 4 June 2025
With their sticky foliage and stems, petunias have never been an enjoyable plant to deadhead.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 29 Mar. 2025
Verb
Here’s how and when to deadhead your hydrangeas to keep them beautiful.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 6 June 2025
Prevent Seeds Another important reason to deadhead a peony is to prevent it from making seeds.
—Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 May 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 10 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share