Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

deadwood

Noun

/ˈdɛdˌwʊd/

Definition

Unproductive material or individuals; things or people that are no longer useful or serve no purpose.

Examples

The old machinery in the factory was just deadwood, taking up space.
In the meeting, John pointed out that we need to remove the deadwood from the project to improve efficiency.
In management, deadwood often refers to employees who are no longer contributing to the team’s goals.

Meaning

The term refers to parts of a tree or plant that are no longer living or productive, as well as metaphorically to redundant people or things that hinder progress.