deed
Americannoun
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something that is done, performed, or accomplished; an act.
Do a good deed every day.
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an exploit or achievement; feat.
brave deeds.
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Often deeds. an act or gesture, especially as illustrative of intentions, one's character, or the like.
Her deeds speak for themselves.
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Law. a writing or document executed under seal and delivered to effect a conveyance, especially of real estate.
verb (used with object)
noun
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something that is done or performed; act
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a notable achievement; feat; exploit
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action or performance, as opposed to words
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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
Synonym Usage
See action.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Conjugated Forms
Present
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have deededperfect
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has deededperfect 3rd person singular
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am deedingprogressive 1st person singular
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are deedingprogressive
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have been deedingperfect progressive
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has been deedingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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is deedingprogressive 3rd person singular
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deedssingular 3rd person
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deedingparticiple
Past
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had deededperfect
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had been deedingperfect progressive
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were deedingprogressive plural
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was deedingprogressive singular
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deededparticiple
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deededsimple
Future
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
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Back-Words: Palindromes
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"The Monkey's Paw," Vocabulary from the short story
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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.
Legal fights have clogged courts for years, with cases riddled with allegations of corruption and deed forgery.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 11, 2026
But there was Mr. Pelley, on camera, expressing amazement at this alleged dastardly deed.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 10, 2026
I am on the deed and the mortgage because she could not qualify on her own when we purchased it together eight years ago.
From MarketWatch • May 12, 2026
“No good deed goes unpunished,” wrote Vertical Research Partners analyst Rob Stallard after earnings.
From Barron's • May 7, 2026
In the summer of 1888 he bought the land and, thinking ahead, registered the deed under a false name, H. S. Campbell.
From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson
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.
