deafen

verb

deaf·​en ˈde-fən 

deafened; deafening ˈde-fə-niŋ 

ˈdef-niŋ

; deafens

transitive verb

: to make permanently or temporarily deaf

was deafened by the explosion

Examples of deafen in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The pure jubilation from Norway fans across the stands was in deep contrast to the deafening silence of my section. — Ben Church, CNN Money, 6 July 2026

One of the tournament's instant classics unfolded Sunday at the historic Estadio Azteca, where 87,500 screaming fans created a deafening atmosphere. — Alejandro Avila, FOXNews.com, 6 July 2026

Their courage quickly wavers in the face of the location’s eerie atmosphere and the deafening sound of cicadas. — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 2 July 2026

And yet, in their quest for culinary perfection, and as Carmy evaluates his decision to retire, the group pulls together without resorting to the profane, deafening chaos that characterized their previous work, almost entirely thanks to Sydney’s opposite-in-every-way leadership style. — Jake Kring-Schreifels, Time, 26 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1586, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

deafen

verb

deaf·​en ˈdef-ən 

deafened; deafening -(ə-)niŋ 

: to make deaf

deafeningly

-(ə-)niŋ-lē

adverb

Medical Definition

deafen

verb

deaf·​en ˈdef-ən 

deafened; deafening -(ə-)niŋ 

transitive verb

: to make permanently or temporarily deaf