deadpan
Americanadjective
-
marked by or accomplished with a careful pretense of seriousness or calm detachment; impassive or expressionless.
deadpan humor.
-
displaying no emotional or personal involvement.
a deadpan style.
adverb
verb (used with or without object)
noun
-
a face showing no expression.
-
a style of comedy that relies on the comedian's maintaining such a face.
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of deadpan
An Americanism dating back to 1925–30; dead + pan 1 (in the slang sense “face”)
Explanation
Use the word deadpan to describe someone who uses no expression when speaking, such as the deadpan way some comedians deliver even their funniest jokes — which can make them even funnier. Deadpan dates to 1928, when pan was slang for "face." So if you seem to have a "dead face" as you say something, it means your face looks very blank — no energy or animation. Deadpan is associated with sarcasm, and like sarcasm, if you use it for comic effect, there's a risk your audience won't pick up on it. Nevertheless, deadpan humor can be funny and popular — witness the success of deadpan humor in the sitcom Seinfeld.
Vocabulary lists containing deadpan
The Hate U Give
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The Egypt Game
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Every Day
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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.
See Examples For:
Amelia Dimoldenberg is the queen of the deadpan silence.
From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2026
Ranganathan, best known for his deadpan stage style, became its co-owner in 2024, describing it as "the partnership of the century".
From BBC ● Jul. 1, 2026
But Johnson is nothing if not a punchy ringmaster of deadpan humor and his grab-bag mindset generates enough goodwill to appreciate the DIY brashness of it all.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 13, 2026
Rapaport barks in the same scene, forcing teammate Ron Funches to deadpan, “You’re playing a game right now.”
From Salon ● Jan. 15, 2026
Hailey looks at me, I look at her, and we have the same deadpan expression that we’ve had mastered since fifth grade, mouths slightly open, eyes ready to roll at any moment.
From "The Hate U Give" by Angie Thomas
“Very few advocates have that goal,” Samuel Alito deadpanned, drawing laughter in the courtroom.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026
"Celebrity Traitors managed to turn Alan Carr into a manipulative serial killer," host Greg Davies deadpanned, adding: "We all know he's a good person".
From BBC ● May 10, 2026
“It’s part of our job now,” she deadpanned.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 14, 2026
“The award for Most Editing goes to CBS News,” she deadpanned.
From Salon ● Jan. 12, 2026
“That’s just small potatoes, Mama. Let’s pray for something big,” Mary Anne deadpanned.
From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy
Phillips called the splits a “coincidence,” deadpanning that “we don’t go on the road and talk about, ‘Oh geez, I guess we’re not gonna do good.’
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 19, 2023
Statham is less violent here than in previous Ritchie outings, but he remains unflappable, which is why he charms as he disarms with his patented deadpanning and action moves.
From Salon ● Mar. 3, 2023
Folks like Lynne Koplitz, who plays Margie’s sister, and Pamela Adlon, as Ray’s ex, do great throwaway comedy with pauses and deadpanning.
From New York Times ● Jun. 11, 2020
Yogi relented, deadpanning, “O.K., fine, make it like mine.”
From The New Yorker ● Sep. 16, 2019
Stewart won some laughter after deadpanning: “I couldn’t hear you. Can you say that again?”
From Washington Post ● Sep. 14, 2018
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
