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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in stoic
not feeling or showing emotion
years of physical and emotional abuse had rendered the woman numb and withdrawn
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to dull
to reduce or weaken in strength or feeling
wait for the medication to numb your mouth
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of numb
Hazlitt, 13 May 2025
An example is lidocaine, used to numb pain during medical procedures.
—Rebecca Robbins, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2025
Emmanuella Ogbonna, Health, 29 Apr. 2025
The kittens are too little to be given pain medicine, so injuries are being treated with topical numbing agent.
—Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for numb
Adjective
Pay no heed to the aches in your body, the growing fear that your numb fingers and toes may never be able to feel sensations again: look up and thank the man with your gaze.
—Hazlitt, 13 May 2025
An example is lidocaine, used to numb pain during medical procedures.
—Rebecca Robbins, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2025
Verb
Signs and symptoms of a vitamin B12 deficiency include tingling or numbing in the hands and feet, pain, headaches, diarrhea, weight loss, mood changes, and a smooth, red tongue.
—Emmanuella Ogbonna, Health, 29 Apr. 2025
The kittens are too little to be given pain medicine, so injuries are being treated with topical numbing agent.
—Teri Figueroa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for numb
Recent Examples of Synonyms for numb
Adjective
-
Those blank entries were then sent out to all Google Cloud data center regions, which prompted the crashes, the company wrote.—
Jennifer Elias,
CNBC,
16 June 2025
-
Although Chardonnay is a fairly neutral grape—almost a blank canvas—that can be manipulated by the winemaker, site specificity, soil composition, and terroir play a huge part in the flavor of the finished wine.—
Mike DeSimone,
Robb Report,
12 June 2025
Adjective
-
His four John Wick films starring Keanu Reeves as a stoic ronin gunslinger have been a rousing success for studio Lionsgate.—
James Hibberd,
HollywoodReporter,
5 June 2025
-
The most obvious difference was up front, where the Navigator rolled out with a stoic, stylish front-end design soon to proliferate across the lineup.—
Will Sabel Courtney,
Robb Report,
5 June 2025
Verb
-
The bright colors of spent flowers will dull or turn brown, indicating the bloom is past its prime and ready to remove.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
7 June 2025
-
Even so, that dimmer wattage does little to dull a film that plays like cine-karaoke — and as any mic fiend can attest, the glory in those moments belongs not to the singer, but the song.—
Ben Croll,
IndieWire,
13 May 2025
Adjective
-
One night, Amy, then 8, was asleep in her mom’s bed.—
Jayme Fraser,
USA Today,
16 June 2025
-
The difference is one guy stepped it up on the Panthers and the 'two best players in the world' on the Oilers were asleep at the wheel.—
Pierre LeBrun,
New York Times,
15 June 2025
Adjective
-
Normally bustling with tourists and downtown office workers, the historic food hall was nearly empty this week.—
Stephanie Breijo,
Los Angeles Times,
13 June 2025
-
Taking time off and regaining your drive for the mission could be the difference between running on empty forever and coming back stronger.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2025
Adjective
-
The protests, which were mostly calm and peaceful, were held in opposition to President Donald Trump's policies and coincided with the controversial parade for the U.S. Army's 250th anniversary in Washington, D.C.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
16 June 2025
-
These calm and gentle activities by the sea have restorative benefits and are increasingly featured as part of wellness retreats.—
Rebecca Ann Hughes,
Forbes.com,
16 June 2025
Verb
-
Only a system designed with these principles can truly protect your organization, reduce losses and maintain trust with your honest customers.—
Marcin Nowak,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2025
-
All evacuation orders have been reduced to warnings.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
20 June 2025
Adjective
-
When employees feel apathetic, their productivity, enthusiasm and curiosity wane.—
Shannon Gabriel,
Forbes.com,
3 June 2025
-
The apathetic opposition stays away because of the campaign ads that demonize the opposition.—
Daily Southtown,
Chicago Tribune,
30 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Numb.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/numb. Accessed 24 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share