DEFUNCT Synonyms: 61 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the adjective 'defunct' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of defunct are dead , deceased , departed , and late . While all these words mean "devoid of life," defunct stresses cessation of active existence or operation. // a defunct television series

Q: When is 'dead' a more appropriate choice than 'defunct'?

The meanings of dead and defunct largely overlap; however, dead applies literally to what is deprived of vital force but is used figuratively of anything that has lost any attribute (such as energy, activity, radiance) suggesting life. // a dead , listless performance

Q: How does the word 'deceased' relate to other synonyms for 'defunct'?

Deceased , departed , and late apply to persons who have died recently. Deceased is the preferred term in legal use. // the estate of the deceased

Q: When might 'departed' be a better fit than 'defunct'?

The words departed and defunct are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, departed is used usually as a euphemism. // our departed sister

Q: When would 'late' be a good substitute for 'defunct'?

While in some cases nearly identical to defunct , late is used especially with reference to a person in a specific relation or status. // the company's late president

defunct

adjective

di-ˈfəŋkt

Definition of defunct next

as in extinct

no longer existing a stack of brochures and a few faded placards are all that remain of the defunct organization

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in fallen

no longer living a defunct species that we know only through fossil remains

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective defunct contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of defunct are dead, deceased, departed, and late. While all these words mean "devoid of life," defunct stresses cessation of active existence or operation.

a defunct television series

When is dead a more appropriate choice than defunct?

The meanings of dead and defunct largely overlap; however, dead applies literally to what is deprived of vital force but is used figuratively of anything that has lost any attribute (such as energy, activity, radiance) suggesting life.

a dead, listless performance

How does the word deceased relate to other synonyms for defunct?

Deceased, departed, and late apply to persons who have died recently. Deceased is the preferred term in legal use.

the estate of the deceased

When might departed be a better fit than defunct?

The words departed and defunct are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, departed is used usually as a euphemism.

our departed sister

When would late be a good substitute for defunct?

While in some cases nearly identical to defunct, late is used especially with reference to a person in a specific relation or status.

the company's late president

Examples Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of defunct Kmart outlasted several copycat regional discounters that are now defunct, including Ames, Jamesway, Caldor, Venture, Zayre, Bradlees, Mervyn’s and Korvettes, and can be credited for creating the template for Walmart’s and Target’s expansion. —

David Moin, WWD, 21 Oct. 2024 Herro worked on Dough and launched another crypto trading business a decade ago called Pacer Capital, which appears to now be defunct. —

Mackenzie Sigalos, CNBC, 17 Oct. 2024 One volume contained transcripts of interviews conducted by the defunct Jan. 6 committee, while another contained a compilation of Trump’s social media posts. —

Ashley Oliver, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 18 Oct. 2024 Last month, Microsoft signed a deal with U.S. energy firm Constellation to resurrect a defunct reactor at the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant in Pennsylvania, whose reactor has been dormant for five years. —

Ryan Browne, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for defunct

Recent Examples of Synonyms for defunct

Adjective

These kinds of threats to frogs are on the rise, with about 200 frog species going extinct since the 1970s.

Olivia Ferrari, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 Nov. 2024
But its third season was perhaps its finest, with the kind of snappy writing that could go extinct before too long.

Samantha Allen, Them, 20 Nov. 2024