benumbed 1 of 2

benumbed

2 of 2

verb

past tense of benumb

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
  • Demand for oil plunged during the war because supply fell sharply and many folks reduced their oil consumption.
    David Goldman, CNN Money, 14 July 2026
  • Trump reduced the size of Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments in Utah by about 90% each, undoing protections established by former presidents on public lands that are sacred among many Native Americans.
    Elizabeth Robinson, NBC news, 14 July 2026
Adjective
  • Spector is clearly concerned with the pernicious consequences of technology, its ability to numb emotions and steer people into ideological cul-de-sacs.
    Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 9 July 2026
  • Relationships often suffer as people withdraw or feel emotionally numb.
    Sara Moniuszko, USA Today, 30 June 2026
Verb
  • Ampere’s research appeared to suggest that the influx of romance book adaptations and romance drama in general has dulled the appetite for reality shows about love.
    Max Goldbart, Deadline, 29 June 2026
  • Bitch, despite being created with Reed in tandem with My Face Hurts From Smiling, leans more pop and R&B with lyrics that may have been dulled down for palatability.
    Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 23 June 2026
Adjective
  • Work told her to log on anyway Getting rid of any interventions that require a parent’s presence in order for the baby to fall back asleep – including rocking, singing and bouncing — is a good trick.
    Gavin Escott, USA Today, 16 July 2026
  • Her husband was asleep in bed, deeply so, despite an open curtain.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 July 2026
Verb
  • Decades of declining violent crime have further blunted the public appetite for executions.
    Pamela Colloff, ProPublica, 30 June 2026
  • The White House’s Iran negotiations rely on the dollar’s leverage, but Tehran has blunted that weapon by using alternative financial architecture, The Wall Street Journal reported, including payments in yuan or cryptocurrency, and adopting a Chinese alternative to the Swift banking network.
    Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 24 June 2026
Verb
  • The ocean’s abundance had been dramatically diminished, but few recreational fishermen noticed; their expectations had been downsized, too.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 July 2026
  • Kylian Mbappé’s powers were diminished in that tournament after sustaining a broken nose, while emerging stars like Michael Olise and Désiré Doué were yet to break through.
    James Robson, Chicago Tribune, 13 July 2026
Verb
  • Some frogs may have been sleeping, weakened, injured, or otherwise compromised before being captured.
    Jay Kakade July 13, New Atlas, 14 July 2026
  • Most people who are exposed to Legionella bacteria don’t get sick at all, but vulnerable groups can include people who are over 50, who vape or smoke, or who have weakened immune systems or underlying health conditions like diabetes or lung disease.
    Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 14 July 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.

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Cite this Entry

“Benumbed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/benumbed. Accessed 18 Jul. 2026.

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