deed
Americannoun
-
something that is done, performed, or accomplished; an act.
Do a good deed every day.
-
an exploit or achievement; feat.
brave deeds.
-
Often deeds. an act or gesture, especially as illustrative of intentions, one's character, or the like.
Her deeds speak for themselves.
-
Law. a writing or document executed under seal and delivered to effect a conveyance, especially of real estate.
verb (used with object)
noun
-
something that is done or performed; act
-
a notable achievement; feat; exploit
-
action or performance, as opposed to words
-
law a formal legal document signed, witnessed, and delivered to effect a conveyance or transfer of property or to create a legal obligation or contract
verb
Related Words
See action.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of deed
before 900; Middle English dede, Old English dēd, variant of dǣd; cognate with German Tat, Gothic gadēths; see do 1
Explanation
A deed is an action that you perform with intent, like turning in a lost wallet you find in a store. Definitely a good deed. The word deed is often used to describe acts of charity but an action doesn’t have to be good to be called a deed — people go to jail for their criminal deeds. Either way, a deed is something done on purpose. It could be difficult, as anyone who after breaking up with a boyfriend or girlfriend later told friends, "I did the deed," will know. An unrelated meaning of deed is a legal document that shows who owns a building or land.
Vocabulary lists containing deed
"Macbeth" Vocabulary from Act I
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!
Back-Words: Palindromes
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!
"The Monkey's Paw," Vocabulary from the short story
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.
“No good deed goes unpunished,” wrote Vertical Research Partners analyst Rob Stallard after earnings.
From Barron's • May 7, 2026
If you do go ahead with the purchase, pay careful attention to your title deed.
From MarketWatch • May 5, 2026
This man purchased his parents’ house and added his brother to the deed; the brother stopped paying the mortgage.
From MarketWatch • May 5, 2026
"We were there very quickly after the deed had been perpetrated," Robertson says.
From BBC • Mar. 7, 2026
She referred softly to the fact that her uncles had long ago stolen the deed to the estate.
From "Everything Sad Is Untrue" by Daniel Nayeri
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.
