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Glite Dictionary
dead inside

dead inside

12 8.5
Having no feelings and unable to enjoy things or care
  • idiom
  • /dɛd ɪnˈsaɪd/
  • Informal
translation icon : muerto por dentro
  • If you can't enjoy the little things in life anymore, you might feel dead inside.
  • felt dead inside
  • really dead inside
  • already dead inside

You have to be a little needy and dead inside the same time to feed off of that that dance.

Examples

  • Never again will you be capable of ordinary human feeling; everything will be dead inside you...

    Blog text (33)

  • You can have everything, but if you're dead inside, it doesn't do you much good.

  • These kids are dead inside.

    Blog text (4)

  • I need to know if I'm really dead inside, or if I have something left to give.

    Fiction book (1992)

  • You're sort of dead inside.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • They looked as if they were still alive, but they were dead inside.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • I realized that these audience members who behaved so badly were dead inside.

    Blog text (7)

  • Most of the rest of the world was content to sit back and watch, zombified, pacified, or just dead inside.

    Blog text (27)

  • Also because of this, not only did I become a great liar and seemingly constantly upbeat, but I also started to feel dead inside.

    Blog text (32)

  • Anyone who can't imagine living a simpler life than he or she now lives, well, I'd say that person is dead inside, no matter what external signs of life may present themselves.

    Blog text (8)

Synonyms

dead
vsdead inside
691 4.1

Without feeling or movement in a body part, like after an injection

is the same meaning but says the lack is internal and emotional
numb
vsdead inside
62 4.1

Unable to feel or show emotion after something upsetting

implies more complete absence of feeling rather than temporary shock
soulless
vsdead inside
34 6.3

Cold and showing no warm or deep feeling

focuses on emotional numbness without implying moral coldness
affectless
vsdead inside
1 9.3

A person who shows no emotion in the face or voice

describes lack of internal feeling rather than just lack of visible expression
desiccated
vsdead inside
  • Formal
7.8

Having little energy or feeling and seeming lifeless

is about lack of feeling rather than simply a dry or lifeless style

Antonyms

sensitive
488 2.9

Aware of and careful about other people's feelings

alive
310 1.0

Full of energy and excitement

How Emotional

emotional
535 2.1
reserved
3.7
detached
27 5.5
dead inside
  • Informal
12 8.5

Surface Forms

dead inside positive

Morphology

dead + inside

The meaning 'emotionally numb' is directly derivable from combining 'dead' (numb/unresponsive, used metaphorically) with 'inside' (internally), so a learner who knows both words can infer an internal lack of feeling. This adjectival + locative composition is a common, cross-linguistic metaphorical pattern rather than an idiosyncratic idiom, making it immediately comprehensible to B1 learners.

Etymology

The expression dead inside gives a clear picture: someone looks normal on the outside but has dead feelings inside, as if no life is left in their heart. So, it means 'without feelings' or 'emotionally numb'.