1
as in to undermine
to deprive of emotional or intellectual vitality
an excess of detail deadens much of the mystery novel's suspense
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to reduce
to reduce or weaken in strength or feeling
a couple of aspirins deadened the headache
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of deaden
Now, Sora 2 might just be another online fad, a reality-deadening distraction that people will soon tire of.
—
Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 3 Oct. 2025
Thin sound deadening The Enabling Technology prize went to CompositeEdge GmbH and ATA Mute BV for a new kind of sound deadening.
—Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 16 Sep. 2025
Scrolling on one’s phone can be a deadening experience, but here’s someone feeling, or at least pretending to feel, a genuine feeling—even if the abundance of these videos surely numbs us further.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 15 Sep. 2025
Horror of this scale has the effect of deadening words, making stories of the most unimaginable violence land with a dull thud.
—Jack Sheehan
september 4, Literary Hub, 4 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for deaden
Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 3 Oct. 2025
Thin sound deadening The Enabling Technology prize went to CompositeEdge GmbH and ATA Mute BV for a new kind of sound deadening.
—Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 16 Sep. 2025
Scrolling on one’s phone can be a deadening experience, but here’s someone feeling, or at least pretending to feel, a genuine feeling—even if the abundance of these videos surely numbs us further.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 15 Sep. 2025
Horror of this scale has the effect of deadening words, making stories of the most unimaginable violence land with a dull thud.
—Jack Sheehan
september 4, Literary Hub, 4 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for deaden
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deaden
Verb
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The video evidence also appears to undermine elements of the government’s narrative of what happened.—
Allison Gordon,
CNN Money,
10 Jan. 2026
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Environmental and labor leaders say the pause is costing thousands of jobs and undermining energy independence.—
Carolyn Gusoff,
CBS News,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
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During his January 2025 State of the State address, Little called for tax cuts that could reduce the state’s general fund by about $100 million.—
Sarah Cutler,
Idaho Statesman,
9 Jan. 2026
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To reduce sizes, builders are going back to open floor plans with fewer hallways.—
Lew Sichelman,
Miami Herald,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
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When leaders visibly adjust decisions based on input, silence weakens.—
Benjamin Laker,
Forbes.com,
20 Jan. 2026
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Wet wipes contain alcohol and chemicals that strip natural oils, damage materials like leather, and weaken shoe adhesives.—
Jamie Cuccinelli,
Martha Stewart,
20 Jan. 2026
Verb
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But the pace of change brought about by AI threatens to dull these capabilities, just when they are needed most.—
Bob Sternfels,
Fortune,
22 Jan. 2026
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As long as the economy stays strong, businesses and policymakers will respond with incremental changes that dull the pain but fail to address the cause.—
Robert Pearl,
Forbes.com,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Gentry had both of those things, but he is headed to the NFL after exhausting his eligibility.—
Haley Sawyer,
Oc Register,
22 Jan. 2026
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With costs accelerating and incremental fixes exhausted, healthcare is approaching a breaking point.—
Robert Pearl,
Forbes.com,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Premium discretionary products like Peloton’s bikes and treadmills contend with other consumer priorities, and tighter budgets may further dampen hardware demand.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
23 Jan. 2026
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An inspiration to all is assistant manager of excursions Kineret Munoz, who hasn’t let a paralyzing car accident dampen her spirit of adventure one little bit.—
Sarah Marshall,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
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If the water is shut off, pipes should be fully drained by flushing toilets and running faucets.—
Sergio Candido,
CBS News,
22 Jan. 2026
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The drain stack is the main vertical pipe, and water should reach it quickly and drain downward.—
Kamron Sanders,
The Spruce,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
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If the property owners are forced to cancel pending bookings and remove their listings from third-party services such as Airbnb, the lawsuit claims, their property values, along with potential rental income returns, are diminished.—
Paula Wethington,
CBS News,
20 Jan. 2026
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This game did little to diminish his projection as the first pick in the upcoming NFL draft.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
20 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Deaden.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deaden. Accessed 26 Jan. 2026.
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