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benumbed 1 of 2

adjective

as in numbed
lacking in sensation or feeling my benumbed ears took a few minutes to warm up after the frigid air outside

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

benumbed

2 of 2

verb

past tense of benumb
as in reduced
to reduce or weaken in strength or feeling a succession of personal tragedies had benumbed him to all grief

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for benumbed
  1. numbed
  2. reduced
  3. numb
  4. dulled
  5. asleep
  6. blunted
  7. diminished
  8. weakened
Adjective
  • When Bill’s older brother Henry (Barry Ward) finds the pianist in numbed solitude in his dingy apartment, Bill has canceled all his upcoming gigs, saying Scotty cannot be replaced.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 13 Feb. 2026
  • Ingber also notes the numbed response to these strikes from much of the American public, something that, in part, may come from the routine nature of these drone strikes as something that the nation has become desensitized to dropping bombs on enemies.
    — Rebecca Schneid, Time, 21 Oct. 2025
Definition of numbed
Verb
  • Brent crude oil prices paused in early trading on Tuesday after gaining in the previous session following a drone attack on an oil pipeline pumping station in Russia that reduced flows from Kazakhstan.
    — Leonie Kidd, CNBC, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Promise a rebate to every taxpayer when the size and cost of government is reduced.
    — Cal Thomas, Arkansas Online, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of reduced
Adjective
  • On one Anderson sack late in the first quarter, Allen kicked his feet in agony and later revealed the hit made his left arm go numb.
    — Tim Graham, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2026
  • When the old man dies, her numb reaction appears caught between grief and relief, though her two adult sons show little understanding of her emotional state.
    — Guy Lodge, Variety, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of numb
Verb
  • The flavor of the wine may be dulled, or an off or sour taste could develop.
    — Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The sparkle in her eyes had dulled and her smile seemed forced.
    — Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of dulled
Adjective
  • He had been viciously attacked seemingly while asleep, struck multiple times in the face with a sharp, ax-like instrument, The Herald News reported.
    — Lynsey Eidell, PEOPLE, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Rahaf swings her prosthetics to the song, and at one point, wraps her small arms around Accurso’s neck — following the song’s instructions and pretending to be asleep.
    — CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of asleep
Verb
  • Know More There’s plenty of history to look back on for House Democrats who worry that a favorable political climate could get blunted by last-minute GOP spending.
    — Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 8 Sep. 2026
  • There’s a nice bitter chocolate flavor that’s blunted perfectly by the brownies’ delicate sweetness.
    — Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of blunted
Verb
  • With one franchise leader gone and another diminished, a Red Wings era — and arguably multiple eras — has ended.
    — Max Bultman, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2026
  • If one leaves, the other, diminished in solitude, cannot long survive alone.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of diminished
Verb
  • Economic data for July showed retail sales and urban investment both weakened, adding to pressure on Beijing to step up support for the remainder of the year.
    — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 9 Sep. 2026
  • This view suggests that the sense of shame was collectively weakened by a series of self-interested actors who shattered the social firmament and opened up the gates to chaos.
    — Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of weakened
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.

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Cite this Entry

“Benumbed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/benumbed. Accessed 20 Sep. 2026.

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