deaden

verb

dead·​en ˈde-dᵊn 

deadened; deadening ˈded-niŋ 

ˈde-dᵊn-iŋ

transitive verb

1

: to impair in vigor or sensation : blunt

deadened his enthusiasm

deadened the pain

2

a

: to deprive of brilliance

b

: to make vapid or spiritless

oxygen deadens wine

c

: to make (something, such as a wall) impervious to sound

3

: to deprive of life : kill

intransitive verb

: to become dead : lose life or vigor

deadener

ˈded-nər 

-dᵊn-ər

noun

deadeningly

ˈded-niŋ-lē 

-dᵊn-iŋ-

adverb

Synonyms of deaden

• undermine
• weaken
• exhaust
• dampen
• drain
• enervate

Examples of deaden in a Sentence

He took aspirin to deaden the pain.

The new insulation will help to deaden the noise from the street outside.

Recent Examples on the Web

Too much intention, too much Trying to Say, too much overarching metaphor, can deaden your work. — Emily Temple, Literary Hub, 18 Aug. 2026

Each presents a group portrait of a handful of disaffected British suburbanites—husbands who resent their deadening jobs, toddlers who whine and interrupt, and, above all, hassled wives subsumed by a crush of household obligations. — Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 16 Aug. 2026

Freezes caused by large cold fronts pushing into the state from arctic regions can ice over and deaden fruitful citrus trees. — Martin E. Comas, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 June 2026

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. — Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 13 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1596, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for deaden

• leaden
• redden
• armageddon

Kids Definition

deaden

verb

dead·​en ˈded-ᵊn 

deadened; deadening ˈded-niŋ 

-ᵊn-iŋ

: to reduce or weaken in strength or feeling : dull

deaden pain with drugs