deafening

adjective

deaf·​en·​ing ˈde-fə-niŋ How to pronounce deafening (audio)
ˈdef-niŋ
1
: that deafens
2
: very loud : earsplitting
fell with a deafening clap
3
: very noticeable
their silence on the issue was deafening
deafeningly adverb

Examples of deafening in a Sentence

the deafening roar of the planes a boom box blasting deafening music
Recent Examples on the Web The screams become so deafening and distracting that the person eventually has to leave their seat to find a private section to catch the show. Deasia Paige, ELLE, 23 Aug. 2023 The noise figures to be more deafening, the signs less PG-rated, the taunts in this nearly border town pushing the borderline of good taste. Staff Writer follow, Los Angeles Times, 20 Jan. 2023 While the state-of-the-art building isn’t as deafening as old Oracle Arena, Golden State now is 8-0 in playoff games here. Dallas News, 20 May 2022 The popping noise will presumably be even more deafening. Jacky Wong, WSJ, 5 Aug. 2022 Fans roared back, clapping and blowing their vuvuzelas at a more deafening pitch. New York Times, 22 Apr. 2022 Tim Cook’s silence on all this, by the way, is pretty deafening. Andy Meek, BGR, 6 Aug. 2021 Finally, people are being encouraged to say Taylor's name loudly and often; in the streets and online, so that in the deafening wave of dissent crashing over the country, her story is not washed away. Aj Willingham, CNN, 5 June 2020 Full coverage of George Floyd's death and protests around the country Angelenos who remember the riots recall an almost deafening silence settling over the city as unrest wore on. NBC News, 4 June 2020

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'deafening.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1597, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of deafening was in 1597

Dictionary Entries Near deafening

Cite this Entry

“Deafening.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deafening. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on deafening

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!