deafening

1 of 2

adjective

deaf·​en·​ing ˈde-fə-niŋ How to pronounce deafening (audio)
ˈdef-niŋ
Synonyms of deafeningnext
1
: that deafens : that causes someone or something to become deaf
2
: very loud : earsplitting
fell with a deafening clap
3
sometimes offensive : very noticeable
Their silence on the issue was deafening.
deafeningly adverb

deafening

2 of 2

present participle of deafen

Synonyms of deafening

Examples of deafening in a Sentence

Adjective the deafening roar of the planes a boom box blasting deafening music
Recent Examples on the Web
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Adjective
That didn’t stop the Chicago Blackhawks from giving Bears coach Ben Johnson a shoutout — one that was met with a deafening roar from the United Center. Kalen Lumpkins, Chicago Tribune, 22 Mar. 2026 That exchange incited a deafening roar from the more than 10,000 fans in attendance. Dane Mizutani, Twin Cities, 21 Mar. 2026 From a bungled email prematurely announcing another massive round of layoffs to scrutiny around the company’s $75 million investment in a documentary about the first lady, Amazon heads into its quarterly earnings report next week surrounded by a deafening level of outside noise. Annie Palmer, CNBC, 30 Jan. 2026 Young’s ending is greeted with a deafening round of applause. Matt Woosnam, New York Times, 23 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for deafening

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1607, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of deafening was in 1607

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Cite this Entry

“Deafening.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deafening. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.

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