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
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Egypt Game
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Every Day
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
I’ll bring my perspective and, I hope, a healthy dose of deadpan humor.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 21, 2026
Fielder is famous for excruciatingly awkward deadpan comedy, but Holmes’ parents are there, the family is preparing for an emotional goodbye and he seems to realize almost immediately that he has misjudged the situation.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026
The Canadian comedian, writer and producer Fielder is famous for harnessing the power of awkwardness, cringe and deadpan wit to great, if unsettling, comedic effect.
From Barron's ● Oct. 9, 2026
Every robot that faceplanted, lost a limb, or disintegrated in a spray of sparks was borne away on a stretcher by human attendants with deadpan solicitude.
From Slate ● Sep. 27, 2026
He looked like a figure out of a Tarzan movie; he was dressed in animal bones, shells, bladders and skins, and his fat body and deadpan face were caked with red clay.
From "Kaffir Boy: An Autobiography" by Mark Mathabane
Blunt deadpanned: "Well, look, if you go early, I'll wear your outfits."
From BBC ● Oct. 1, 2026
“Very few advocates have that goal,” Samuel Alito deadpanned, drawing laughter in the courtroom.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026
As I fended off allegations of greatness, Yang deadpanned: “Chicken is 75% luck. The tile gods were on your side.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 17, 2026
“The award for Most Editing goes to CBS News,” she deadpanned.
From Salon ● Jan. 12, 2026
“That’s okay, it’s my left arm,” he deadpanned.
From "When Dimple Met Rishi" by Sandhya Menon
“So, I don’t recommend my services,” she said, deadpanning.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 14, 2025
Statham ... remains unflappable, which is why he charms as he disarms with his patented deadpanning and action moves.
From Salon ● Mar. 3, 2023
Most offices “have a rule against open-toe footwear, but not open-back,” said Mr. DeLeon, deadpanning.
From New York Times ● Sep. 9, 2021
She adopted a strategy early in life of simply deadpanning, “I am smiling.”
From Washington Post ● May 22, 2021
Yogi relented, deadpanning, “O.K., fine, make it like mine.”
From The New Yorker ● Sep. 16, 2019
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
