noun

deadwood

DEHD-wuud

noun

Dead branches or wood still attached to a living tree, or fallen wood debris.

"The gardener cleared out the deadwood before spring."

People or things seen as no longer useful to an organisation.

"The new manager cut the deadwood from the sales team."

"Half the old software features are just deadwood now."

How to Use Deadwood

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishDead branches on a tree, or — figuratively — people/things that are no longer pulling their weight.

Common pairings

clear the deadwood organisational deadwood cut deadwood

deadwoods plural

Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.

Can you complete this real example?

The gardener cleared out the _____ before spring.

A literal compound of dead and wood, later extended figuratively to useless people or things.

food good wood mood hood blood flood brood Atwood Osgood Elwood plywood