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

• castrate
• damp
• dampen
• dehydrate
• desiccate
• devitalize
• enervate
• geld
• lobotomize
• petrify

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

Kil noted that one of the features of the town hall remodel project will deaden the noise from the passing trains, which at times can drown out speakers during town meetings. —Jim Woods, Chicago Tribune, 18 May 2025

She was shot three times at close range, with a blanket wrapped around the gun to deaden the sound. —Christopher Goffard, Los Angeles Times, 15 May 2025

Here was an invention no one had asked for, that promised to upend perfectly good industries while further deadening the American intellect and locking in place the political biases of post-Covid Biden-crats. —Caroline Downey, National Review, 27 Mar. 2025

By studying the images, engineers can confirm and enhance the sonic-boom-deadening properties for the XB-1's airframe. —David Szondy, New Atlas, 3 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1613, 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