dead in the water

Idioms

Unable to function or move; inoperable. For example, Without an effective leader, our plans for expansion are dead in the water. Originally referring to a crippled ship, this colloquialism was soon applied more broadly.

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.

Still, the revival of a trade deal once deemed dead in the water is good news for both the EU and India.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 28, 2026

Without AI, the U.S. economy would be dead in the water, according to Jason Furman of Harvard External link, a former head of the Council of Economic Advisers under President Barack Obama.

From Barron's • Oct. 17, 2025

More of this and Scotland's World Cup hopes will be dead in the water, if not in Group C but in the play-offs.

From BBC • Oct. 12, 2025

Every time there’s a legal setback, the movement is declared dead in the water.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 25, 2024

Once again, we were dead in the water.

From "The (Mostly) True Story of Cleopatra's Needle" by Dan Gutman

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023