Deadpan
adjective
Showing no emotion or change of expression.
He delivered the joke with a deadpan expression.
Often appears as...
- deadpan humor
- deadpan delivery
noun
A way of telling a joke, making a comment, without showing any emotion or laughing.
Her deadpan made the joke even funnier.
Often appears as...
- deliver a deadpan
- with a deadpan
adverb
In a manner that is deliberately impassive or expressionless.
They responded deadpan to the news.
Often appears as...
- said deadpan
- looked deadpan
verb
To express (something funny) in a serious manner.
He deadpanned the punchline of the joke.
Often appears as...
- deadpanned the joke
- deadpanned a response
adjective
Showing no emotion or change of expression.
He delivered the joke with a deadpan expression.
Often appears as...
- deadpan humor
- deadpan delivery
noun
A way of telling a joke, making a comment, without showing any emotion or laughing.
Her deadpan made the joke even funnier.
Often appears as...
- deliver a deadpan
- with a deadpan
adverb
In a manner that is deliberately impassive or expressionless.
They responded deadpan to the news.
Often appears as...
- said deadpan
- looked deadpan
verb
To express (something funny) in a serious manner.
He deadpanned the punchline of the joke.
Often appears as...
- deadpanned the joke
- deadpanned a response
Definition 1 of 4
Pro Tip 1/3Emotional Irony
Use 'deadpan' when someone's serious expression contrasts with humorous or ironic content being shared.
Despite the absurdity of the situation, she remained deadpan.
Pro Tip 2/3Unexpected Humor
'Deadpan' often signals that humor is present without the usual cues of laughter or smiles.
His deadpan remark caught everyone off guard, then they burst into laughter.
Pro Tip 3/3Comedic Effect
A deadpan expression can make a funny situation funnier by creating a juxtaposition.
She kept a deadpan expression while describing the comically disastrous date.
Pro Tip 1/3Emotional Irony
Use 'deadpan' when someone's serious expression contrasts with humorous or ironic content being shared.
Despite the absurdity of the situation, she remained deadpan.
Pro Tip 2/3Unexpected Humor
'Deadpan' often signals that humor is present without the usual cues of laughter or smiles.
His deadpan remark caught everyone off guard, then they burst into laughter.
Pro Tip 3/3Comedic Effect
A deadpan expression can make a funny situation funnier by creating a juxtaposition.
She kept a deadpan expression while describing the comically disastrous date.
Pro Tip 1/3Emotional Irony
Use 'deadpan' when someone's serious expression contrasts with humorous or ironic content being shared.
Despite the absurdity of the situation, she remained deadpan.
Pro Tip 2/3Unexpected Humor
'Deadpan' often signals that humor is present without the usual cues of laughter or smiles.
His deadpan remark caught everyone off guard, then they burst into laughter.
Pro Tip 3/3Comedic Effect
A deadpan expression can make a funny situation funnier by creating a juxtaposition.
She kept a deadpan expression while describing the comically disastrous date.
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Video examples
Ben Saunders: Three...
and the pilot -- Russian pilot -- completely deadpan, replied, "Six hours -- if we live." We got to Khatanga. I think the joke is that Khatanga isn't the end of the world, but you can see it from there.
Video examples
Ben Saunders: Three...
and the pilot -- Russian pilot -- completely deadpan, replied, "Six hours -- if we live." We got to Khatanga. I think the joke is that Khatanga isn't the end of the world, but you can see it from there.
Example 1 of 1
Quote examples
Rod Laver
Australian Athlete
It occurred to me that it would benefit me to play without emotion - well, without emotion others could see, anyway. Card players profited from having a poker face so opponents wouldn't know how good or bad their hand was, and I figured a deadpan expression would work in tennis, too.
Quote examples
Steven Wright
American Comedian
I never even thought of myself as deadpan until someone wrote an article about me about a year after I was doing comedy. There was a paper called the 'Boston Phoenix,' and someone wrote a description of what I was doing and that's where I first saw 'deadpan.
Quote examples
Kristin Gore
American Author
My dad has a dry, deadpan sense of humor, and my mom has an unexpected, wacky take on things. They really encouraged laughing at ourselves and the weirdness of situations that come up growing up in politics.
Quote examples
Deborah Meaden
English Businesswoman
When I concentrate, my face is deadpan and I can see there is a coldness there - when I'm making business decisions I know I can be quite dispassionate.
Quote examples
Patrick Warburton
American Actor
So, deadpan I think just means not acknowledging for one second that you think that this is funny and clever.
Quote examples
Ruth Ozeki
Canadian Novelist
There's something about Vonnegut's deadpan irony that I really like. And I like Borges' puzzle structure.
Quote examples
Katherine Dunn
American Novelist
Donald Westlake's lean prose and deadpan delivery are engaging, as always.
Quote examples
Edward Ruscha
American Artist
I have no social agenda with my work. I'm deadpan about it.
Quote examples
Carly Chaikin
American Actress
I love playing a smart person and not that blonde deadpan.
Quote examples
Martine Syms
American Artist
I just have a deadpan sense of humor, I guess.
Quote examples
Rod Laver
Australian Athlete
It occurred to me that it would benefit me to play without emotion - well, without emotion others could see, anyway. Card players profited from having a poker face so opponents wouldn't know how good or bad their hand was, and I figured a deadpan expression would work in tennis, too.
Quote examples
Steven Wright
American Comedian
I never even thought of myself as deadpan until someone wrote an article about me about a year after I was doing comedy. There was a paper called the 'Boston Phoenix,' and someone wrote a description of what I was doing and that's where I first saw 'deadpan.
Quote examples
Kristin Gore
American Author
My dad has a dry, deadpan sense of humor, and my mom has an unexpected, wacky take on things. They really encouraged laughing at ourselves and the weirdness of situations that come up growing up in politics.
Quote examples
Deborah Meaden
English Businesswoman
When I concentrate, my face is deadpan and I can see there is a coldness there - when I'm making business decisions I know I can be quite dispassionate.
Quote examples
Patrick Warburton
American Actor
So, deadpan I think just means not acknowledging for one second that you think that this is funny and clever.
Quote examples
Ruth Ozeki
Canadian Novelist
There's something about Vonnegut's deadpan irony that I really like. And I like Borges' puzzle structure.
Quote examples
Katherine Dunn
American Novelist
Donald Westlake's lean prose and deadpan delivery are engaging, as always.
Quote examples
Edward Ruscha
American Artist
I have no social agenda with my work. I'm deadpan about it.
Quote examples
Carly Chaikin
American Actress
I love playing a smart person and not that blonde deadpan.
Quote examples
Martine Syms
American Artist
I just have a deadpan sense of humor, I guess.
Example 1 of 10
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