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Definition of Deadpan
1. Adverb. Without betraying any feeling. "She told the joke deadpan"
2. Adjective. Deliberately impassive in manner. "His face remained expressionless as the verdict was read"
Similar to: Incommunicative, Uncommunicative
Derivative terms: Impassiveness
Definition of Deadpan
1. Adjective. Deliberately impassive or expressionless (''as'' a face or look). ¹
2. Adjective. Having such a face or look (''as'' a person). ¹
3. Adjective. Impassive (''as'' behaviour or speech). ¹
4. Noun. A style of comedic delivery in which something humourous is said or done while not exhibiting a change in emotion or facial expression. ¹
5. Verb. To express (oneself) in an impassive or expressionless manner. ¹
¹ Source: wiktionary.com
Definition of Deadpan
1. to act without emotion [v -PANNED, -PANNING, -PANS]
Lexicographical Neighbors of Deadpan
Literary usage of Deadpan
Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:
1. American Vulgar: The Politics of Manipulation Versus the Culture of Awareness by Robert Grudin (2006)
"The novel begins with a deadpan schoolroom vignette: We were in class when the
head-master came in, followed by a "new fellow," not wearing the school ..."
2. National Negotiating Styles edited by Hans A. Binnendijk (1995)
"On a negotiating team, most Japanese faces will be deadpan—that is normal.
But too straight a face indicates disapproval. These communication norms and ..."
3. Do I Really Have to Teach Reading?: Content Comprehension, Grades 6-12by Cris Tovani by Cris Tovani (2004)
"With a deadpan look on his face he responded, "So what you are saying is that
the text is too hard?" "Yes," I replied. "I think it is too hard, too long, ..."
4. Joseph Csáky: A Pioneer of Modern Sculpture by Edith Balas (1998)
"... which will always be their environment, but, though their surfaces are deadpan,
the quality of the stone weakens the potential for machine reference. ..."
5. An Adventure of Great Dimension: The Launching of the Chicago Assyrian by Erica Reiner (2002)
"When Oppenheim took me along to see Levi, upon hearing that I had received an
offer from Harvard, he said in his usual deadpan way, "Everybody had an ..."
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