dead ringer

American  

noun

Slang.

1. a person or thing that closely resembles another; ringer.

   That old car is a dead ringer for the one we used to own.

---

dead ringer Idioms  

1. A person or thing that closely resembles another; an exact counterpart. For example, Brian's a dead ringer for his Dad, or That red bike is a dead ringer for Mary's. [Late 1800s]

---

Etymology

Origin of dead ringer

First recorded in 1890–95

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

dead ringer

The Sun leads with Andy Burnham's "dead ringer", who calls herself "Mandy Burnham" on social media, placed next to the new prime minister.

From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026

A weirdo dog lets you “show your individuality,” said Terence Nelson, 38, an influencer marketing strategist in New York whose fuzzy Brussels griffon, Sue, is a dead ringer for an Ewok.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 28, 2025

When she was a very young woman, my grandmother was a dead ringer for a famous actor named Myrna Loy.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2025

Tom Hollander is a dead ringer for Capote, while Naomi Watts’ Babe Paley is stunning and tragic.

From Salon ● Dec. 20, 2024

Tiny Frank Glassman, with his tightly curled hair, was a dead ringer for Harpo Marx.

From "Unbroken" by Laura Hillenbrand