as in deadening
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
as in reducing
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 benumbing
Verb
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The station initially bridged the sudden budget gap last year by reaching out to donors directly and reducing costs to bring down overhead.—
Savannah Sicurella,
AJC.com,
11 Apr. 2026 -
The ship suffered substantial damage, and the Reagan administration retaliated by damaging or sinking three Iranian warships and three oil platforms, drastically reducing Tehran’s ability to engage in the gulf.—
Dalia Abdelwahab,
CNN Money,
11 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Now after four years of ongoing horrors in Ukraine, and more than two years of watching slaughter and suffering in Gaza, the latest war filling our feeds is just another numbing form of content, a digital arena in which competing forces try to assert conflicting viewpoints.—
Kyle Chayka,
New Yorker,
11 Mar. 2026
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And that can be exhausting, numbing, and overwhelming.—
James Speyer,
New York Daily News,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Another suggestion was requiring special sound-deadening balls, currently available, that lower the decibel levels considerably.—
John Ramos,
CBS News,
16 Mar. 2026
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Both nationally and in Minnesota , there has been a shift away from intelligent discussion of public policy to endless partisan warfare with a deadening impact on the public.—
Arne Carlson,
Twin Cities,
8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The album’s ideal love is anesthetic, a script for surviving daily chaos and tragedy that doesn’t require reciprocation.—
Daniel Felsenthal,
Pitchfork,
7 Apr. 2026
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The singer's 2009 death was officially attributed to the legal anesthetic propofol.—
Rachel Treisman,
NPR,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
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At Source puts seven years of joint practice and mutual magnetism to tape without dulling the dynamic buzz of their live sets.—
Hattie Lindert,
Pitchfork,
2 Mar. 2026
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Also, don't store beans or ground coffee in the refrigerator—the coffee may absorb moisture and odors, dulling its flavor.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
20 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The classic pisco sour is unmissable, as is the island cocktail made with pisco, eucalyptus syrup, and wild murta, a local antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and analgesic berry used by indigenous communities in traditional medicine and food.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
27 Mar. 2026
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Epibatidine intrigued researchers for decades and was once highly sought after as a potential analgesic many times more powerful than morphine.—
Dinah Voyles Pulver,
USA Today,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The launches underscored continuing tensions between the Koreas, blunting South Korean hopes for warmer relations.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
9 Apr. 2026
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That one-time money would be earmarked under the legislation for blunting some of the cuts to Medicaid providers, housing and education that lawmakers are now considering.—
Nick Coltrain,
Denver Post,
7 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Individuals who remain in the class and submit valid claims release their rights to sue Cargill or Tyson over the same allegations, but retain any rights against non-settling defendants.—
Moná Thomas,
PEOPLE,
8 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Benumbing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/benumbing. Accessed 18 Apr. 2026.
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