deadpan

Thân thiện

He delivered the joke with a perfectly deadpan expression.

Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Deliberately impassive in manner: A style of speaking, acting, or humor that is intentionally devoid of emotion, expression, or emphasis. The purpose is often to create a humorous or ironic contrast between the serious delivery and the content.
2. Adverb:
   • In a deliberately impassive manner: To say or do something without showing any feeling or expression.

Examples

• Adjective:
  • She is known for her deadpan delivery, which makes her jokes even funnier.
  • The actor's deadpan expression never changed, even during the chaotic scene.
• Adverb:
  • He delivered the outrageous news completely deadpan.
  • "I've just won the lottery," she said deadpan, waiting for our reaction.

Advanced Usage

• As a narrative technique: A deadpan narrator describes bizarre or emotional events in a flat, unemotional tone, creating a specific literary or comedic effect.
• In contrast to content: The humor in deadpan comedy often arises from the mismatch between the mundane delivery and the absurdity of the statement.

Variants and Related Words

• Deadpan can also function as a verb (less common): means to deliver it in an expressionless way.
• Poker-faced (adj.): Having an impassive expression that reveals nothing, similar to a poker player. This is a close synonym for the adjective form describing a person's expression.

Synonyms

• Adjective: Expressionless, impassive, unexpressive, stoic, blank, poker-faced.
• Adverb: Expressionlessly, impassively, blankly, flatly, without emotion.

Related Idioms/Phrases

• Keep a straight face: To manage not to laugh or smile, which is the essential skill for delivering a deadpan line. ()

Học thuật

Adjective

1. deliberately impassive in manner
   • deadpan humor
   • his face remained expressionless as the verdict was read

Adverb

1. without betraying any feeling
   • she told the joke deadpan

Từ đồng nghĩa

• expressionless
• impassive
• poker-faced
• unexpressive