dead zone

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noun

Ecology. an area in a body of water, especially an ocean, having oxygen levels that are not adequate to support life: shellfish threatened by an annual dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico.

dead spot (def. 1).

a period or place where there is little activity or excitement: A dead zone for home sales is November and December.

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Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of dead zone

First recorded in 1875–80, for an earlier sense

Words nearby dead zone

deadweight tonnage, Dead White European Male, dead white male, deadwood, deadwork, dead zone, deaerate, deaf, deaf aid, deaf-and-dumb, deaf as a post

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use dead zone in a sentence

See the full explanation of how and why to avoid the dead zone.
Fantasy football 2021 draft cheat sheet|Neil Greenberg, Des Bieler|August 24, 2021|Washington Post
That situation has led some, such as Pat Kerrane of NBC Sports, to argue that the dead zone starts with the very first pick.
Yes, the running back dead zone in fantasy drafts is real. And you should be afraid.|Des Bieler|August 24, 2021|Washington Post
Drafting running backs in the dead zone — commonly thought of as the stretch between rounds 3 and 6 — is the quickest path to putting your fantasy hopes in grave danger.
Yes, the running back dead zone in fantasy drafts is real. And you should be afraid.|Des Bieler|August 24, 2021|Washington Post
Microorganisms consume them, it’s sort of an orgy of breakfast, and they metabolize so quickly they suck all the oxygen out of the air and you get these huge dead zones in coastal areas around the world.
Two (Totally Opposite) Ways to Save the Planet (Ep. 346 Rebroadcast)|Stephen J. Dubner|July 29, 2021|Freakonomics

If you obsessively check product reviews, as we do, then you might also want to see if people report dead zones or dropouts when using their headphones.
Best wireless headphones: Five things to consider|Carsen Joenk|November 25, 2020|Popular-Science
It was not a real dead zone, because I could still penetrate some of the region.
Highways in Hiding|George Oliver Smith
I encountered no sign of any trip or trap all the way to the fringe of the dead zone.
Highways in Hiding|George Oliver Smith

British Dictionary definitions for dead zone

dead zone

noun

an area of water that cannot support marine life, being virtually devoid of oxygen due to the presence of nitrates that stimulate algae growth

an area where a mobile phone does not receive a signal

any area where something does not exist or prospera dead zone for cinemas

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012