1
as in numbed
lacking in sensation or feeling
I've been sitting in the same position for too long and now my feet are numb
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in blank
not expressing any emotion
apparently in shock, he answered the police officer's questions with a numb expression on his face
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3
as in stoic
not feeling or showing emotion
years of physical and emotional abuse had rendered the woman numb and withdrawn
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as in to dull
to reduce or weaken in strength or feeling
wait for the medication to numb your mouth
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of numb
Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 12 July 2025
Europe, perhaps now numb to the threats from across the Atlantic, also stayed relatively calm with London’s FTSE and Germany’s DAX marking minor gains.
—Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 8 July 2025
David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 11 June 2025
Ashley was still reeling from the 2001 murder of her husband Mack right in front of her, and had been using meth to numb the pain when Nichols showed up at her Atlanta-area apartment with a gun at 2 a.m. on March 12, 2005.
—Johnny Dodd, People.com, 9 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for numb
Adjective
His leg went numb, but his sense of humor was unharmed.
—Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 12 July 2025
Europe, perhaps now numb to the threats from across the Atlantic, also stayed relatively calm with London’s FTSE and Germany’s DAX marking minor gains.
—Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 8 July 2025
Verb
In his opening voiceover, which floats above the sort of glassy synth music that’s meant to numb our judgment, Mel informs us that he was conceived during a conjugal visit when his father was in prison, and that his dad once told him that he was destined to wind up back behind bars.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 11 June 2025
Ashley was still reeling from the 2001 murder of her husband Mack right in front of her, and had been using meth to numb the pain when Nichols showed up at her Atlanta-area apartment with a gun at 2 a.m. on March 12, 2005.
—Johnny Dodd, People.com, 9 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for numb
Recent Examples of Synonyms for numb
Adjective
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One Redditor said their iPad now had a blank screen, but to be clear there hasn’t been an iPad update.—
David Phelan,
Forbes.com,
16 Aug. 2025
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For the outing at the California theme park, Cox wore an oversized white blouse with blank pants and sandals.—
Ingrid Vasquez,
People.com,
16 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Opposite Zegler is Olivas, a stoic, sinister Perón—and, at 28, an unusually young actor for the role.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
15 Aug. 2025
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The normally stoic Kyle Tucker, hitting .200 in his last 18 games with just one home run since June 29, whipped his helmet down the dugout steps after grounding out with two runners on in the seventh inning against the Toronto Blue Jays.—
Meghan Montemurro,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Still, that venue-filling sound doesn’t dull the music’s bleeding edge.—
Brenna Ehrlich,
Rolling Stone,
12 Aug. 2025
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While short-term boosts are possible, too much artificial stimulation can dull the natural response over time.—
Khloe Quill,
FOXNews.com,
2 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Within 30 minutes of being picked up, Giovanni texted his mother, who had been studying for an upcoming pharmacy board exam and was asleep.—
Janelle Griffith,
People.com,
9 Aug. 2025
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The clip shows a woman—who is said to be around 6.5 feet tall—gingerly climbing over a fellow passenger who appears to be asleep in the aisle seat.—
Soo Kim,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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The heartless subway mugger who slashed and badly wounded a woman on an empty Manhattan train car will stay locked up following his arrest late last week.—
Nicholas Williams,
New York Daily News,
12 Aug. 2025
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The day after the crash, the FWC investigators found a stash of empty booze bottles and cans on the boat.—
Grethel Aguila,
Miami Herald,
12 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Nonetheless, the analyst said investors should remain calm.—
Michael Bloom,
CNBC,
16 Aug. 2025
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Life during wartime will make what came before seem positively calm.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
16 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The Work Ethic Camp was opened in 2001 and initially designed to reduce prison overcrowding, according to a Nebraska legislative report, providing the incarcerated with life skills training, substance abuse treatment and work experience.—
Antonio Pequeño IV,
Forbes.com,
20 Aug. 2025
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The bacterium, residing harmlessly in the guts of laboratory and fetal mice, reduced accumulation of mercury, the researchers said.—
Scott Lafee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
19 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Compared with their cognitively average peers, super-agers are the opposite of apathetic, says Gefen; they are actively engaged with other people and activities.—
Tom Gavin,
EverydayHealth.com,
12 Aug. 2025
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Our narrator is Alex, an apathetic and depraved teen gang leader who is as pleased by violence as he is enthralled with classical music.—
Robert English,
EW.com,
30 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Numb.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/numb. Accessed 24 Aug. 2025.
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