1. dead branches or wood on a tree or that has fallen from a tree
2. people or things that are no longer useful or productive
Usage: informal

Examples

• The gardener removed all the deadwood from the apple tree.
• We cleared the deadwood from the forest floor to prevent fires.
• The company decided to eliminate deadwood by laying off unproductive employees.
• After the merger, they had to cut the deadwood from both departments.
• The old policies were just deadwood that needed to be removed.
• Pruning deadwood helps the tree grow stronger and healthier.