dead on arrival
Never had chance
Dead on arrival describes someone or something that has failed before it could begin.
Originally medical terminology for a patient who dies before reaching the hospital, the phrase now commonly describes proposals, legislation, or ideas that have no chance of success: The bill was dead on arrival in the Senate.
Often abbreviated DOA.
Dead at birth
- nonstarterDoomed proposal from outset
- failedDid not succeed
- rejectedRefused or turned away
- no-goProhibited or impossible
sunk · tanked · killed · axed · scrapped · shelved · vetoed · shot down
Spoken aloud formally
- flatlinedLost all vital signs
- unresponsiveFailing to react or reply
- pulselessHaving no pulse
- expiredNo longer in effect
lifeless · resuscitation · gurney · morgue · coroner · autopsy · toe tag · body bag
Impossible to execute
- unfeasibleNot capable of execution
- untenableImpossible to maintain
- unsalvageableImpossible to recover
- irredeemableImpossible to reform
hopeless · futile · pointless · beyond repair · lost cause · nonfunctional · broken · defective
stillborn
Dead at birth
- nonstarterDoomed proposal from outset
- failedDid not succeed
- rejectedRefused or turned away
no-go · sunk · tanked · killed · axed · scrapped · shelved · vetoed · shot down · torpedoed
pronounced
Spoken aloud formally
- flatlinedLost all vital signs
- unresponsiveFailing to react or reply
- pulselessHaving no pulse
expired · lifeless · resuscitation · gurney · morgue · coroner · autopsy · toe tag · body bag · time of death
unworkable
Impossible to execute
- unfeasibleNot capable of execution
- untenableImpossible to maintain
- unsalvageableImpossible to recover
irredeemable · hopeless · futile · pointless · beyond repair · lost cause · nonfunctional · broken · defective · flawed
- defective merchandiseproduct defects, hidden defects, malfunctions, DOA, lemons
- death idiomskick the bucket, six feet under, kiss of death, death wish, death trap
dead on arrivalviable
Capable of succeeding
promising · alive and kicking · well-received · going concern · winner
dead on arrivalalive
Having current existence
living · alive and well · responsive · conscious · breathing
dead on arrivalsalvageable
Able to be rescued
revivable · recoverable · fixable · rescuable · savable
dead, arrival, deadly, deaden, deadened, deadening, deadness, deathly, arrive