: marked by an impassive matter-of-fact manner, style, or expression
a deadpan comedy
: in a deadpan manner : without emotion : blankly
Larry David started out in the 1970s doing stand-up in comedy clubs such as Catch a Rising Star, where if he came out on stage and did not like the audience he would stare at them deadpan … and walk off.—
Lee Siegel
Lee Siegel"A sex and violence weekend?" "That's two weekend ideas, actually," Derbin replies deadpan.—Judith Miller
Judith Miller1
: a deadpan manner of behavior or presentation
2
: a completely expressionless face
Examples of deadpan in a Sentence
Adjective
he delivered the joke in such a deadpan voice that we thought at first that he was serious
Noun
He tells the joke in his best deadpan.
She's a master of deadpan.
Verb
“I went back to doing push-ups again, and this time I almost completed one,” he deadpanned.
Recent Examples on the Web
Valerie Mesa, People.com, 9 Apr. 2025
From Tom Haverford’s next-level entrepreneurial schemes to April Ludgate’s deadpan sarcasm, each character brings something relatable, ridiculous and a little too real.
—Valerie Mesa, People.com, 9 Apr. 2025
Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 5 Apr. 2025
But by some force of alchemy, his cockeyed look at things—a mix of deadpan delivery, garish colors, and exaggerated interactions—is weirdly perfect for this adaptation.
—Jordan Hoffman, EW.com, 2 Apr. 2025
Larry Fitzmaurice, Vulture, 8 Apr. 2024
Benavidez deadpans into the a house microphone.
—José M. Romero, The Arizona Republic, 26 Mar. 2023
See All Example Sentences for deadpan
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Adjective
From her sarcasm to her intense, mysterious nature, April’s smoldering passion is something only a Scorpio could understand — deep, hidden beneath a cool, deadpan exterior.
—Valerie Mesa, People.com, 9 Apr. 2025
From Tom Haverford’s next-level entrepreneurial schemes to April Ludgate’s deadpan sarcasm, each character brings something relatable, ridiculous and a little too real.
—Valerie Mesa, People.com, 9 Apr. 2025
Noun
With the former nearly breaking multiple times and the latter’s razor-sharp deadpan delivery, the bit was an instant crowdpleaser.
—Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 5 Apr. 2025
But by some force of alchemy, his cockeyed look at things—a mix of deadpan delivery, garish colors, and exaggerated interactions—is weirdly perfect for this adaptation.
—Jordan Hoffman, EW.com, 2 Apr. 2025
Verb
Larry deadpans when Jeff arrives in full cowboy attire.
—Larry Fitzmaurice, Vulture, 8 Apr. 2024
Benavidez deadpans into the a house microphone.
—José M. Romero, The Arizona Republic, 26 Mar. 2023
See All Example Sentences for deadpan
Cite this Entry
“Deadpan.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deadpan. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
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