dead-pan

dead-pan

A comedian delivers a dead-pan joke to the audience.

Definition

  1. Adjective:

    • Expressionless or impassive: "dead-pan" refers to a manner, facial expression, or delivery that is deliberately blank, showing no emotion or reaction, often used for comedic effect.

  2. Adverb:

    • In an expressionless manner: "dead-pan" describes the way an action is performed with a completely blank, emotionless face.
Usage Examples

  • Adjective:

    • His dead-pan humour made the audience laugh, even though he never smiled. (His comedic style relied on a blank, emotionless delivery.)
    • She gave a dead-pan response to the ridiculous question, keeping her face completely still. (She answered without any change in expression.)

  • Adverb:

    • He told the joke dead-pan, which made it even funnier. (He delivered the joke with a completely blank face.)
    • She stared dead-pan at the camera, refusing to react. (She looked at the camera without any emotion.)
Advanced Usage

  • "dead-pan delivery": a way of speaking or performing without emotional inflection, often used in comedy.

    • The actor's dead-pan delivery of the serious line turned it into a hilarious moment. (His emotionless tone created humour from an otherwise straight line.)

  • "dead-pan expression": a face that shows no feeling or reaction.

    • Even after the surprise party, he kept a dead-pan expression, pretending nothing was happening. (His face remained blank despite the excitement.)
Variants and Related Words

  • Deadpan (adj/adv): a common alternative spelling without the hyphen; identical in meaning.

    • Her deadpan humour is her trademark. (Her emotionless comedic style is distinctive.)

  • Deadpanner (n, informal): a person who uses a deadpan style or delivery.

    • He is known as a master deadpanner in the comedy club. (He is an expert at delivering jokes with a blank face.)
Synonyms
  • Blank: devoid of expression or emotion.
  • Impassive: not showing any feeling or emotion.
  • Straight-faced: with a serious or expressionless face, especially when delivering humour.
  • Poker-faced: having a face that reveals no emotion, as in a poker game.
Related Idioms

  • Keep a straight face: to avoid smiling or laughing, especially when something is funny.

    • He managed to keep a straight face while telling the absurd story. (He maintained a dead-pan expression.)

  • Poker face: an expressionless face that hides one's thoughts or feelings.

    • She has a perfect poker face, so no one can tell if she's bluffing. (Her dead-pan expression conceals her true emotions.)