Deadass

Deadass (adverb / US Slang)

(Also heard as: Dead ass, Deadazz, Deadass serious)

Definition:

Deadass means seriously, genuinely or no joke. It is used to stress that you mean what you say, or to ask if someone is being honest. “Are you deadass?” means “are you serious?”.

Where Deadass Comes From:

Deadass comes from New York City, particularly Black and Latino communities in the city, and it has been used in local slang since at least the 1990s. It builds on the older word “dead”, meaning completely, as in “dead serious”. Through hip-hop, TikTok and film, it has since spread across the USA and appears on lists of the most popular American regional slang.

How People Actually Use Deadass:

It goes in the middle or at the end of a sentence for emphasis, as in “I am deadass starving”, or on its own as a question. Like “no cap”, it signals honesty. Many people from outside New York use it for fun, but locals say it sounds best with a New York accent.

Is Deadass Rude?

It contains the word “ass”, but it is not an insult. Most people consider it casual slang, though you might avoid it in a formal setting.

Examples in the Wild:

• “I am deadass going to quit if this carries on.”

  Meaning: I am being completely serious.

• “You paid fifty dollars for that? Deadass?”

  Meaning: Are you being honest?

• “That pizza was deadass the best I have ever had.”

  Meaning: It was genuinely the best.

Similar Slang:

No Cap, Facts, Bet, Bare, For real, Swear down

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