abbreviation
DOA
dee-oh-AY
DOA (abbreviation) means Dead on arrival: describing a person who is already dead when brought to hospital or when emergency services reach them. Example: “The driver was pronounced DOA at the county hospital.”
abbreviation
1
Dead on arrival: describing a person who is already dead when brought to hospital or when emergency services reach them.
"The driver was pronounced DOA at the county hospital."
"Paramedics worked on him for twenty minutes, but he was DOA."
adjective
1
informal Doomed from the outset; certain to fail or be rejected before it has any chance to work.
"The bill was DOA the moment the committee chair opposed it."
"Any proposal that raises fees is DOA with this board."
2
Of goods, especially electronics: faulty and completely non-functioning when unpacked by the buyer.
"The replacement drive arrived DOA and would not spin up at all."
How to use DOA
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishIt means something turned up already dead, broken or beaten.
When to use it
The medical sense is formal and appears in official records; the figurative political and retail senses are informal but very common in news and business writing.
Memory tip
Outside medicine, DOA is almost always a judgement about a plan's chances, not about a person.
Common pairings
pronounced DOA
DOA on arrival at hospital
the bill is DOA
DOA unit
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Synonyms
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Rhymes for DOA
See all rhymes for DOA →Frequently asked questions
What does it mean when a patient is DOA?
It means the person had already died before reaching hospital or before emergency staff could begin treatment. A doctor still has to confirm and record the death formally.
Why do people say a bill is DOA?
It is a figure of speech: the proposal has no realistic chance of passing, usually because the votes or the political will are known to be absent. It signals the outcome is settled before any debate happens.
What should you do if a product arrives DOA?
Report it to the seller immediately, as most retailers and manufacturers have a short dead-on-arrival window with a straight replacement rather than a repair. Keep the packaging until the claim is settled.
What is the meaning of DOA?
"DOA" (abbreviation) means dead on arrival: describing a person who is already dead when brought to hospital or when emergency services reach them.
