dead in the water

Idioms  

1. Unable to function or move; inoperable. For example, Without an effective leader, our plans for expansion are dead in the water. Originally referring to a crippled ship, this colloquialism was soon applied more broadly.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

dead in the water

During the height of the Covid-19 era, cruises seemed dead in the water: Nations were closing their doors and ships have long been seen as potential petri dishes given how quickly germs can spread onboard.

From Barron's ● May 6, 2026

Still, the revival of a trade deal once deemed dead in the water is good news for both the EU and India.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 28, 2026

"We were written off in the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election with very similar arguments - you were dead in the water before you had begun according to the Scottish media," he said.

From BBC ● Sep. 7, 2025

Every time there’s a legal setback, the movement is declared dead in the water.

From Seattle Times ● Apr. 25, 2024

Once again, we were dead in the water.

From "The (Mostly) True Story of Cleopatra's Needle" by Dan Gutman