The meaning of DEADPAN is marked by an impassive matter-of-fact manner, style, or expression. How to use deadpan in a sentence.

Deadpan, dry humour, or dry-wit humour[1] is the deliberate display of emotional neutrality or no emotion, commonly as a form of comedic delivery to contrast with the ridiculousness or …

The expressiveness of the performances of short excerpts of classical music was varied through asking each musician to play in a deadpan, a normal and an exaggerated manner.

DEADPAN meaning: showing no feeling or emotion used to describe humor that is done or said in a serious way

1. A blank, expressionless face. 2. A person, especially a performer, who has or assumes a blank expression.

Dec 24, 2025 · Noun deadpan (uncountable) A style of comedic delivery in which something humorous is said or done while not exhibiting a change in emotion or facial expression.

Deadpan dates to 1928, when pan was slang for "face." So if you seem to have a "dead face" as you say something, it means your face looks very blank — no energy or animation.

Deadpan humour is when you appear to be serious and are hiding the fact that you are joking or teasing someone. ...her natural capacity for irony and deadpan humour. She put the letter on …

DEADPAN definition: marked by or accomplished with a careful pretense of seriousness or calm detachment; impassive or expressionless. See examples of deadpan used in a sentence.

Factsheet What does the word deadpan mean? There are three meanings listed in OED's entry for the word deadpan. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.