vs 

QUICK ANSWER
"Killed" is a form of "kill", a transitive verb which is often translated as "matar". "Dead" is an adjective which is often translated as "muerto". Learn more about the difference between "dead" and "killed" below.
dead(
dehd
)
An adjective is a word that describes a noun (e.g., the big dog).
adjective
a. muerto
I found a dead roach behind the sofa.Encontré una cucaracha muerta detrás del sofá.
2.
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
(colloquial)
A phrase used as a figure of speech or a word that is symbolic in meaning; metaphorical (e.g., carrot, bean).
(figurative)
(extremely tired)
a. muerto
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
(colloquial)
A phrase used as a figure of speech or a word that is symbolic in meaning; metaphorical (e.g., carrot, bean).
(figurative)
I'm dead after today's workout.Estoy muerto después del entrenamiento de hoy.
3.
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
(colloquial)
(disconnected)
a. desconectado
The power's dead, so we'd better get some flashlights.La luz está desconectada, así que deberíamos buscar unas linternas.
b. cortado
The telephone line went dead because I didn't pay the bill.La línea de teléfono está cortada porque no pagué la factura.
a. muerto
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
(colloquial)
The mall is completely dead during the week.El centro comercial está completamente muerto durante la semana.
b. bajo (season)
Winter is dead season for hostels near the beach.El invierno es temporada baja para los hostales cerca de la playa.
a. muerto
Latin is a dead language.El latín es una lengua muerta.
a. descargado (battery)
Can I use your phone? My battery is dead.¿Puedo usar tu teléfono? Mi batería está descargada.
b. agotado (battery)
I left the headlights on and the battery is dead now.Dejé los faros prendidos y ahora la batería está agotada.
a. muerto
The speaker couldn't start his talk because the microphone was dead.El orador no podía empezar su plática porque el micrófono estaba muerto.
8.
A phrase used as a figure of speech or a word that is symbolic in meaning; metaphorical (e.g., carrot, bean).
(figurative)
(numb)
a. dormido
My left hand is dead; I think I slept too much in the same position.Tengo dormida la mano izquierda; creo que dormí demasiado en la misma posición.
9.
A word or phrase that is only used by experts, professionals, or academics in a particular field (e.g., exposition).
(technical)
(sports)
a. muerto
The ball is dead when the batter is hit by a pitch.La pelota está muerta cuando un lanzamiento golpea al bateador.
b. parado
The ball is dead when it goes out of bounds.El balón está parado cuando sale de juego.
a. apagado
The firemen have confirmed that the fire is finally dead.Los bomberos han confirmado que el incendio finalmente está apagado.
a. en seco (adverb)
The bus came to a dead stop.El autobús paró en seco.
b. total
The library was in dead silence.La biblioteca estaba en silencio total.
An adverb is a word that describes a verb, an adjective, or other adverbs (e.g., to run quickly, very tired).
adverb
a. vacío
This wine's dead; let's open another.Este vino ya está vacío, abramos otro.
a. en seco
The train stopped dead at the edge of the cliff.El tren se paró en seco al borde del acantilado.
14.
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
(colloquial)
(absolutely)
a. completamente
You can be dead sure of my innocence.Puedes estar completamente seguro de mi inocencia.
b. totalmente
Time showed that I was dead wrong.El tiempo demostró que estaba totalmente equivocado.
15.
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
(colloquial)
(intensifier)
Regionalism used in the United Kingdom
(United Kingdom)
a.
This refers to an idiomatic word or phrase for which there is no word-for-word translation.
no direct translation
The car ahead of us was dead slow.El carro de adelante iba lentísimo.
The exam was dead easy; I'll get a 10 for sure.El examen fue muy fácil, seguro que sacaré un 10.
16.
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
(colloquial)
(exactly)
a. justo
Judith arrived dead on time to the interview.Judith llegó justo a tiempo a la entrevista.
A plural noun indicates that there is more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
plural noun
a. los muertos
(m) means that a noun is masculine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
(M)
The dead were buried in trenches during the war.Los muertos fueron enterrados en zanjas durante la guerra.
A noun is a word referring to a person, animal, place, thing, feeling, or idea (e.g., man, dog, house).
noun
a.
This refers to an idiomatic word or phrase for which there is no word-for-word translation.
no direct translation
The explorers decided to go to Siberia in the dead of winter.Los exploradores decidieron ir a Siberia en pleno invierno.
The party kept going in the dead of the night.La fiesta continuó hasta altas horas de la madrugada.
Copyright © 2025 Dictionary Media Group, Inc.
kill(
kihl
)
A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
transitive verb
a. matar
Kill the cockroach!¡Mata la cucaracha!
b. asesinar
A woman has been killed by a thief who tried to rob her.Un ladrón ha asesinado a una mujer a la que intentaba robar.
c. morir
His wife was killed in the earthquake.Su esposa murió en el terremoto.
a. acabar con
The war killed all of his dreams.La guerra acabó con todos sus sueños.
a. apagar
The switch will kill the compressor before it has built enough pressure.El interruptor apagará el compresor antes de que se acumule la presión necesaria.
a. calmar
The ointment will kill the pain.La pomada calmará el dolor.
a. matar
In my opinion, a hot sauce kills the flavor of a good steak.En mi opinión, una salsa picante mata el sabor de un buen bistec.
a. matar
We could watch TV to kill time.Podemos ver tele para matar el tiempo.
7.
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
(colloquial)
(to exhaust)
a. matar
So much exercise is killing me.Tanto ejercicio me mata.
8.
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
(colloquial)
(to hurt)
a. matar
These shoes are killing me.Estos zapatos me están matando.
9.
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
(colloquial)
(to amuse)
a. matar de risa
His stories kill me.Sus historias me matan de risa.
An intransitive verb is one that does not require a direct object (e.g., The man sneezed.).
intransitive verb
a. matar
I'm prepared to kill or be killed.Estoy dispuesto a matar o morir.
A noun is a word referring to a person, animal, place, thing, feeling, or idea (e.g., man, dog, house).
noun
a. la presa
(f) means that a noun is feminine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
(F)
My dog took me to my kill.Mi perro me llevó hasta la presa.
b. la caza
(f) means that a noun is feminine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
(F)
Afterwards, the kill is divided up for all the members of the hunting party.Después, la caza se divide entre todos los miembros de la partida.
Copyright © 2025 Dictionary Media Group, Inc.