dead weight
noun
the heavy, unrelieved weight of anything inert.
deadweight
-
a variation of
dead weight.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Software as a service, or SaaS, was once the market’s hottest sector, but it’s been a deadweight for much of the last month.
From Barron's ● Feb. 28, 2026
Hired patent trolls create what economists call deadweight loss: economic value destroyed by conduct that suppresses output and investment.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 28, 2025
She heeds this warning, starting to realize that this boyfriend might not bring her freedom but deadweight, as much as she tries to help him help himself.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 5, 2025
This pattern continues in the world of international trade law, which reduces the deadweight losses from tariff and nontariff barriers to facilitate international commerce.
From Slate ● Jan. 6, 2025
She'd shaken us up a little, but surely that was just an act designed to weed out the deadweight.
From "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris
