adj

deathly

DEHTH-lee

adj

Resembling death, or so extreme it suggests death.

"Her face turned a deathly shade of pale."

"A deathly silence fell over the courtroom."

adv

Extremely; to a degree that suggests death.

"He was deathly afraid of needles."

How to Use Deathly

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishLooking or feeling like death, or (as an intensifier) extremely.

Common mistake

Don't confuse with deadly (causing death) — deathly describes something that resembles or evokes death, not something that kills.

Easily confused with

deadly →

Common pairings

deathly pale deathly silence deathly afraid

deathlier comparative, more deathly comparative, more deathly comparative, deathliest superlative, most deathly superlative, most deathly superlative

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Her face turned a _____ shade of pale.

From Old English deathlic, built from death plus -lic (the ancestor of -ly).