BENUMB Synonyms: 48 Similar and Opposite Words

benumb

verb

bi-ˈnəm

Definition of benumb

as in to reduce

to reduce or weaken in strength or feeling a succession of personal tragedies had benumbed him to all grief

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 benumb What’s destructive, and eventually benumbing, is the kitchen-sink clutter of fantasy, reality, wish-fulfillment and glib enchantment. — Joe Morgenstern, WSJ, 24 Jan. 2019 But her core insight into how even mediocrities can be institutionally benumbed and conscripted into heinous projects remains fertile. — George Prochnik, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2018

Recent Examples of Synonyms for benumb

Verb

By controlling how densely cancer-targeting proteins are displayed on the virus, the team developed vaccine particles that significantly reduced tumor development in mice.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 31 Oct. 2026
Research suggests standard time better aligns with our circadian rhythm, or internal clock, and reduces the risk of health complications.

— Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 31 Oct. 2026

Definition of reduce

Verb

Some cleaners can dull the floor’s finish, cause damage, or leave streaks.

— Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 20 Oct. 2026
The primary effects generally wear off in less than an hour, but a person’s senses may remain dulled and their judgment and coordination impaired for several hours afterward.

— Christopher P. Holstege, The Conversation, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of dull

Verb

Democrats have the enthusiasm edge after early voting, but Republicans are hopeful that strong GOP turnout on election day will blunt what many expect to be a blue surge in the state.

— Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 3 Nov. 2026
Evers got behind Crowley in an effort to blunt the rising campaign of democratic socialist Francesca Hong.

— CBS News, CBS News, 3 Nov. 2026

Definition of blunt

Verb

Providers usually make three to four quick injections along the lower part of the muscle, sometimes with numbing cream or a vibrating tool, then apply ice.

— Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 26 Oct. 2026
According to a case report published in the New England Journal of Medicine, the doctors gave the man a topical treatment to numb his eyes and then began plucking out the worms one by one with fine forceps.

— Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of numb

Verb

Except in the extreme, legislators are loath to devalue local autonomy while also prioritizing delivery of state aid to diminish local tax burdens.

— David Bloomfield, New York Daily News, 1 Nov. 2026
While rain chances will diminish, clouds will hang tough through much of the day, and northeast winds will pick up slightly to 5 to 10 mph.

— Mary Wasson, Austin American Statesman, 31 Oct. 2026

Definition of diminish

Verb

The regime remains capable of suppressing any organized resistance in the country, but the growing disaffection of the elite threatens to weaken the state from within.

— Jieun Baek, Foreign Affairs, 30 Oct. 2026
Eisenkot's allies could also try to reverse legislation advanced by Netanyahu's government that critics say weakened Israel's democratic institutions and judicial independence.

— Itay Stern, NPR, 30 Oct. 2026

Definition of weaken

Verb

Inside the cabin, extensive additional sound deadening in the doors, trunk and wheel arches means phone calls and passenger conversations are entirely effortless at highway speeds.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 2 Oct. 2026
Too much intention, too much Trying to Say, too much overarching metaphor, can deaden your work.

— Emily Temple, Literary Hub, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of deaden

Verb

This means rough surf, beach erosion, and coastal flooding will slowly subside at the beaches through the weekend.

— Steven Sosna, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026
Goldman Sachs also found that hedge funds sold tech stocks at a record pace last week, suggesting future selling pressure may subside.

— Sean Conlon, CNBC, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of subside

Browse Nearby Words

bents

benumb

benumbed

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Benumb.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/benumb. Accessed 4 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of benumb

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

fulsome

Popular in Grammar & Usage

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Old-Timey Vehicles

Ten More Words from Taylor Swift Songs

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes