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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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
Verb
-
Here’s a look at what streets will be closed or reduced in Fort Worth this weekend to accommodate the event.—
Brayden Garcia,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
25 Feb. 2026
-
The ship also composts food waste and has reduced its reliance on single-use plastics.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
25 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Her numb silence and lack of affect read as a trauma response; she is cut off in terms of her emotional response, and also in narrative terms, underscoring her isolation.—
Catherine Bray,
Variety,
17 Feb. 2026
-
On the deck of a research vessel in Antarctica, fingers and noses are constantly going numb; your gloves need to be water- and cold- and shockproof all at once.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
12 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
At its core, though, authenticity suggests experiences that feel genuine rather than manufactured—places where daily life unfolds naturally, traditions aren’t staged for visitors, and commercial gloss hasn’t dulled a destination’s character.—
Lydia Price,
Travel + Leisure,
20 Feb. 2026
-
The Air Max 95 joined late last summer and now boasts a total of three colorways including an Eric Koston collab, although complaints about quality have dulled the excitement.—
Ian Servantes,
Footwear News,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Flynn also told dispatchers the garage door was wide open and that this all happened while their two daughters were asleep inside the home.—
Vivian Kwarm,
New York Daily News,
20 Feb. 2026
-
The individual who called 911 told dispatchers that the kids were asleep in their rooms at the home, according to News Center 7.—
Adam Sabes,
FOXNews.com,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
There's a nice bitter chocolate flavor that's blunted perfectly by the brownies' delicate sweetness.—
Kimberly Holland,
Southern Living,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Anyone who follows Texas knows that defense and taking care of the ball are the cornerstones of this program, and while the Horns did force the Gamecocks into a bounty of miscues, their own missteps blunted a great chance to get a bounce-back after losing 70-65 at LSU on Sunday.—
Cedric Golden,
Austin American Statesman,
16 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Wollenzien also points to the growing anxiety among professional artists about job security, as more than two-thirds of workers in creative industries believe that AI has diminished their employability in workplaces.—
Daniel Fusch,
USA Today,
19 Feb. 2026
-
That diminished view of the Democratic Party in the AP-NORC polling is consistent regardless of Democrats’ age, race, ideology or educational background — suggesting that appealing to a specific group or two won’t fix the problem.—
Linley Sanders,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The Mutawa, as the religious police are known, had their powers significantly weakened in 2016.—
Matthew Martin,
semafor.com,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Well, he's weakened the regulations on clean cars.—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
18 Feb. 2026
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.
Cite this Entry
“Benumbed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/benumbed. Accessed 26 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
