deadpan

[ded-pan]

adjective

1. marked by or accomplished with a careful pretense of seriousness or calm detachment; impassive or expressionless.

   deadpan humor.

2. displaying no emotional or personal involvement.

   a deadpan style.

adverb

1. in a deadpan manner.

   He spoke his lines utterly deadpan.

verb (used with or without object)

deadpanned, deadpanning 

1. to behave or perform in a deadpan manner.

noun

1. a face showing no expression.

2. a style of comedy that relies on the comedian's maintaining such a face.

deadpan

/ ˈdɛdˌpæn /

adjective

1. with a deliberately emotionless face or manner

   deadpan humour

Other Word Forms

• dead panner noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of deadpan¹

An Americanism dating back to 1925–30; dead + pan ¹ (in the slang sense “face”)

Example Sentences

There is no tree on stage: When they discuss, with deadpan practicality, the possibility of hanging themselves, they peer into the audience.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

After staying out to applaud the away end at full-time, he deadpanned that his situation was "a lost cause" when asked if he could turn things around with time.

Read more on BBC

When asked if they would like a little more time to catch their breath in between releases, Keeho pauses to translate after which quirky singer and dancer Soul deadpans, “Yes!” dissolving them into giggles.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

“Yes,” Kimmel deadpans, “he’s at the fourth stage of grief: construction.”

Read more on Salon

"If you have a problem, I wish you'd just say it to my face instead of my bumper," he deadpans.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• impassive 
• stony