as in to reduce
to reduce or weaken in strength or feeling
a succession of personal tragedies had benumbed him to all grief
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of benumb
Because both actors look like lumpish proletarian versions of Ingmar Bergman stars — Alma Pöysti, radiant yet benumbed, plays Ansa like a dish-towel Bibi Andersson, and Jussi Vatanen could be the schlump brother of Max von Sydow (with a dollop of Ryan Gosling).
—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
23 May 2023
What’s destructive, and eventually benumbing, is the kitchen-sink clutter of fantasy, reality, wish-fulfillment and glib enchantment.
—
Joe Morgenstern,
WSJ,
24 Jan. 2019
But her core insight into how even mediocrities can be institutionally benumbed and conscripted into heinous projects remains fertile.
—
George Prochnik,
New York Times,
12 Apr. 2018
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
23 May 2023
What’s destructive, and eventually benumbing, is the kitchen-sink clutter of fantasy, reality, wish-fulfillment and glib enchantment.
—
Joe Morgenstern,
WSJ,
24 Jan. 2019
But her core insight into how even mediocrities can be institutionally benumbed and conscripted into heinous projects remains fertile.
—
George Prochnik,
New York Times,
12 Apr. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for benumb
Verb
-
New flyover ramps connecting to I-95 would also be built, while sound barriers would be installed along both sides of the corridor to help reduce traffic noise for nearby residents.
-
The rich treatment balances strengthening plant proteins with nourishing rosehip and sweet almond oils to reduce breakage and replenish moisture.
Verb
-
Blurring bamboo silk powders keep shine in check without dulling skin, while camellia seed oil and antioxidant-rich vitamin E help mature complexions look smooth, hydrated, and naturally luminous.
-
Bitch, despite being created with Reed in tandem with My Face Hurts From Smiling, leans more pop and R&B with lyrics that may have been dulled down for palatability.
Verb
-
Since the proposal was announced in October, Google co-founder Sergey Brin has donated $82 million to a political committee called Building a Better California that backs a variety of initiatives designed to blunt the billionaire tax proposal.
-
Since the proposal was announced in October, Google co-founder Sergey Brin has donated $82 million to a political committee called Building a Better California that backs a variety of initiatives designed to blunt the billionaire tax proposal.
Verb
-
Her mother remarried, and at the advice of her doctor, began drinking to numb the pain.
-
But now Love was an open wound and was numbing her grief in one way or another.
Verb
-
Historically, after that period, the chances of survival without a water source diminish rapidly.
-
Prolonged exposure to heat can lead to insufficient or poor sleep, compromising the immune system, increasing the risk for cardiovascular disease and diminishing cognitive performance.
Verb
-
Vcg | Visual China Group | Getty Images BEIJING — China’s consumer spending slowdown persisted in June, with growth during one of the country’s largest online shopping festivals weakening sharply from a year earlier.
-
All three of those protagonists have been weakened in their roles by what has gone on.
Verb
-
Freezes caused by large cold fronts pushing into the state from arctic regions can ice over and deaden fruitful citrus trees.
-
Exposing the dental pulp and cleaning out the cavity’s contents also would have deadened the nerves and blood vessels there, leading to pain relief, Zubova said.
Verb
-
Without tick bites, red meat, or dairy to incite it, the immune response will subside eventually.
-
A little light headedness was the only immediate side effect for a first-timer, but that quickly subsided.
Cite this Entry
“Benumb.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/benumb. Accessed 30 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
