Dead Ringer

Pronunciation: /dɛd ˈrɪŋər/

Definitions of dead ringer

noun an exact duplicate

Example Sentences

A1 My twin sister is a dead ringer for me.

A2 The suspect was a dead ringer for the wanted criminal.

B1 The actor was a dead ringer for the historical figure he was portraying.

B2 The new employee is a dead ringer for the CEO in terms of work ethic.

C1 She was a dead ringer for her grandmother in looks and personality.

C2 The artist's painting was a dead ringer for the original masterpiece.

Examples of dead ringer in a Sentence

formal The suspect was a dead ringer for the man seen fleeing the scene of the crime.

informal She's a dead ringer for her mother, they look so much alike.

slang That new guy at work is a dead ringer for Brad Pitt.

figurative The old, abandoned house was a dead ringer for a haunted mansion.

Grammatical Forms of dead ringer

• past tense: dead ringed
• plural: dead ringers
• comparative: more dead ringer
• superlative: most dead ringer
• present tense: is a dead ringer
• future tense: will be a dead ringer
• perfect tense: has been a dead ringer
• continuous tense: is being a dead ringer
• singular: a dead ringer
• positive degree: dead ringer
• infinitive: to be a dead ringer
• gerund: being a dead ringer
• participle: dead ringing

Origin and Evolution of dead ringer

First Known Use: 1889 year

Language of Origin: English

Story behind the word: The term 'dead ringer' originated in the late 19th century in horse racing circles.

Evolution of the word: Originally used to refer to a horse that was substituted for another in order to defraud bookmakers, the term 'dead ringer' has evolved to mean an exact duplicate or look-alike of someone or something.