Dead
Dead adjective - No longer living.
Usage example: I inherited this heirloom from my dead great-grandfather
Defunct is a synonym for dead in deceased topic. In some cases you can use "Defunct" instead the word "Dead" as an adjective or a noun or an adverb, when it comes to topics like live, destroyed, lifeless, extinct. obsolete substitute
Nearby Word: deadly
Defunct
Defunct adjective - No longer existing.
Usage example: a stack of brochures and a few faded placards are all that remain of the defunct organization
Mutual synonyms
Cite this Source
Defunct and Dead. (2016). Retrieved 2026, August 14, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/dead/defunct
Dead & Defunct. N.p., 2016. Web. 14 Aug. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/dead/defunct>.
Defunct or Dead. 2016. Accessed August 14, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/dead/defunct.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "dead" and "defunct" have occurred on timeline