ded ˈrɪŋər
General
informal
intermediate
- Literally:
- A ringer (horse substituted in a race) that is 'dead' accurate
What does "dead ringer" mean?
- An exact duplicate or lookalike of someone
- A person who closely resembles another
Examples
- She's a dead ringer for her grandmother at that age.
- That actor is a dead ringer for the politician.
- I thought it was my brother—he's a dead ringer for you.
Origin
From horse racing fraud in the 19th century. A 'ringer' was a fast horse substituted for a slower one to fix races. 'Dead' meant exact or precise. A 'dead ringer' was a perfect substitution.
How to use it
Very common expression for striking resemblance. Often used in entertainment and when noting family resemblances.
Similar expressions
spitting image
lookalike
doppelganger
Opposites
completely different
nothing alike
Related idioms
- actions speak louder than words
What people do is more important than what they say
- better safe than sorry
It's better to be careful and prevent problems than to take risks
- so far so good
Things have gone well up to now
- easier said than done
Something is more difficult to do than to talk about
- make a long story short
To summarize or get to the point
- to make matters worse
In addition to existing problems
Use it in a practice answer
Try "dead ringer" in a CELPIP-style Speaking or Writing task. The AI feedback tells you whether your word choice worked.