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If you know that de- often means "the opposite of", it's easy to guess the meaning of defunct. Shakespeare seems to have been the first writer to use this adjective, in Henry V. Defunct American political parties include the Greenback Party, the Readjuster Party, and the Nullifier Party. Defunct Academy Awards categories include Best Dance Direction and Best Assistant Director. Defunct U.S. auto models include the Dudly Bug, the LuLu, the Hupmobile, the Gas-au-lec, and the Nu-Klea Starlite. But to speak of a person as defunct would sound disrespectful—which is how it sounds in e. e. cummings's famous poem "Buffalo Bill's defunct".
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Examples of defunct in a Sentence
PCMAG, 7 Nov. 2024
Four titles from the defunct—but clearly still hugely popular—band have debuted on the chart in the past few months, and all but one of them have landed inside the top 10.
—Hugh McIntyre, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
Insurance underwriting profit fell 69%, dented by rising claims, $565 million of losses from Helene, and a bankruptcy court settlement related to defunct talc supplier Whittaker Clark & Daniels.
—Reuters, CNN, 2 Nov. 2024
Kassie Krut—the new trio featuring Eve Alpert and Kasra Kurt from the defunct Philadelphia math-rock band Palm and Nicks and Grazes producer Matt Anderegg—have announced their debut EP.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 29 Oct. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Defunct.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/defunct. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
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defunct
adjective
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