Zombie: meaning, definitions and examples

Often used in popular culture and entertainment to describe a reanimated corpse that moves and behaves as if alive, usually in horror films, video games, and TV shows. It can also metaphorically describe someone acting without thinking.

• In the movie, a virus turns people into zombies
• After working all night, I felt like a zombie

A broad term encompassing various beings like vampires, ghosts, and zombies, used primarily in fantasy and horror genres. It conveys the idea of being neither alive nor completely dead.

• The vampire belongs to the world of the undead
• The spell reanimated the undead soldiers

A more formal and less commonly used term often seen in literature or classic horror works to describe beings that are dead but appear to be alive.

• The author wrote a chilling tale about the living dead
• Legends spoke of the living dead wandering the earth

Typically used in folklore and horror genres to refer to a demon-like being that consumes human flesh. It has a more sinister and supernatural connotation than 'zombie'.

• The graveyard was said to be haunted by ghouls
• He dressed as a ghoul for Halloween

This word is often used in a horror or fantasy context to describe a reanimated corpse. It is also informally used to describe someone who is very tired or acting without thinking.

• After staying up all night, he felt like a zombie
• In the movie, the city was overrun by zombies

This word refers to a machine capable of carrying out a complex series of actions automatically. It can also describe a person who acts in a mechanical, unemotional way.

• The factory uses robots to assemble cars
• He completed his tasks like a robot, without any enthusiasm

This adjective describes someone or something that resembles a zombie. It's often used to convey a sense of slowness, lack of awareness, or energy.

• After working a double shift, she walked home in a zombie-like state
• The abandoned building had a zombie-like atmosphere

This word is used to describe something or someone that lacks energy, spirit, or animation. It can have a negative connotation when describing a person.

• The plant looked lifeless after not being watered for weeks
• Her voice was so monotone and lifeless during the presentation