dead space

American  

[ded spays] / ˈdɛd ˈspeɪs /

noun

plural

dead spaces

1. space, as in a room, urban area, etc., that is not being used or cannot be used.

2. Physiology. the volume of air in those parts of the respiratory tract in which there is no exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide, namely in the nose, trachea, and bronchi, as opposed to the bronchioles.

3. Medicine/Medical. in a syringe, the space between the bottom of the plunger and the syringe's tapered tip, in which unused product remains after an injection.

4. Photography. the area in a picture or image that does not draw the viewer's eye because it is not dominated by the subject and its position, gaze, or movement.

---

Example Sentences

The problem is the dead space between them when we realize we’re bored sick.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 9, 2026

Seattle might have made it a half second before an outburst of screams filled the dead space, leaving at least one half of Les Twins, two of Beyoncé’s more famous backup dancers, looking dismayed.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 15, 2023

All that needs to be said is there's no dead space at these farewell parties, and each hour needs to be watched closely and savored fully.

From Salon • Mar. 26, 2023

Many modern xylems have intricate cross sections that look like gappy rings, crosses, diamonds or hearts, with dead space called pith separating bundles of xylem tissue.

From Scientific American • Jan. 27, 2023

In contrast, Holmes’s building was dead space, like the corner of a room where the gaslight could not reach.

From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson