1
: having total or partial hearing loss
deaf people
the deaf community
also
: of or relating to people who have total or partial hearing loss
deaf culture
deaf education
2
: unwilling to hear or listen : not to be persuaded
… when men are determined on mutiny, they are deaf to reason.—
Washington Irving
Washington IrvingExamples of deaf in a Sentence
He has been deaf since birth.
She's completely deaf in her right ear.
He's going a little deaf so you'll have to speak up.
Recent Examples on the Web
Guests who are deaf or hard of hearing can request stateroom kits that include a visual and tactile alert when someone knocks at the door, the phone rings, or an alarm sounds; stateroom TVs are equipped with closed captioning; and stateroom telephones have the ability to amplify sound.
—Susan B. Barnes, Travel + Leisure, 1 July 2025
Since 2022, the federal government has invested some $1.5 billion in the 988 project, including expanding access to services for Spanish speakers, LGBTQ+ youth and young adults, and people who are deaf or hard of hearing by creating sub-lifelines or sub-networks for those groups.
—Jacqueline Howard, CNN Money, 18 June 2025
The empathetically observed drama explores the frustrations and the love between 12-year-old Anna (Siena Popović) and her deaf mother (Mariya Menner).
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 18 June 2025
Wilson became deaf in his right ear from his father's abuse, a disability that would contribute to his depression later in life.
—Stephanie Sengwe, People.com, 11 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for deaf
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Susan B. Barnes, Travel + Leisure, 1 July 2025
Since 2022, the federal government has invested some $1.5 billion in the 988 project, including expanding access to services for Spanish speakers, LGBTQ+ youth and young adults, and people who are deaf or hard of hearing by creating sub-lifelines or sub-networks for those groups.
—Jacqueline Howard, CNN Money, 18 June 2025
The empathetically observed drama explores the frustrations and the love between 12-year-old Anna (Siena Popović) and her deaf mother (Mariya Menner).
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 18 June 2025
Wilson became deaf in his right ear from his father's abuse, a disability that would contribute to his depression later in life.
—Stephanie Sengwe, People.com, 11 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for deaf
Cite this Entry
“Deaf.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deaf. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
deaf
adjective1
: wholly or partly unable to hear
2
: unwilling to hear or listen
deaf to all suggestions
deafness
noun
Medical Definition
deaf
adjective
: having total or partial hearing loss
deaf adults
also
: of or relating to people who have total or partial hearing loss
deaf education
deafness
noun
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share