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
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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
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
The Finnish midfielder deadened the ball with a foot and quickly chipped it laterally over nearby defenders.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 July 2025
Repeatedly returning to themes of globalization and alienation, the 55-year-old director has meticulously chronicled his country’s uneasy plunge into the 21st century as rampant industrialization risks deadening those left behind.
—Tim Grierson, Los Angeles Times, 20 June 2025
Kil noted that one of the features of the town hall remodel project will deaden the noise from the passing trains, which at times can drown out speakers during town meetings.
—Jim Woods, Chicago Tribune, 18 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for deaden
Jack Sheehan
september 4, Literary Hub, 4 Sep. 2025
The Finnish midfielder deadened the ball with a foot and quickly chipped it laterally over nearby defenders.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 July 2025
Repeatedly returning to themes of globalization and alienation, the 55-year-old director has meticulously chronicled his country’s uneasy plunge into the 21st century as rampant industrialization risks deadening those left behind.
—Tim Grierson, Los Angeles Times, 20 June 2025
Kil noted that one of the features of the town hall remodel project will deaden the noise from the passing trains, which at times can drown out speakers during town meetings.
—Jim Woods, Chicago Tribune, 18 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for deaden
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deaden
Verb
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Adopting the Southern view, the Supreme Court issued opinions that severely undermined the legal architecture of Reconstruction.—
Equal Justice Initiative,
USA Today,
6 Nov. 2025
-
Others tell us that AI will completely undermine society.—
David Lyman,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Tax rises would likely act as another damper on inflation by reducing consumer demand.—
Holly Ellyatt,
CNBC,
6 Nov. 2025
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Researchers also stressed that the synergistic effect of K+ and C3N4 co-intercalation lowers the energy barrier, reduces the electrostatic interaction, and enhances the kinetics and structural stability.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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With some estimates putting wave heights as much as 35 feet, weakened hatch covers would have been vulnerable to such waves.—
Stephen J. Beard,
USA Today,
7 Nov. 2025
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The years of horrific violence have weakened Sudan, plunging its institutions into chaos and making its population more vulnerable and poorer.—
Ivana Kottasová,
CNN Money,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Long-term, alcohol damages the brain by shrinking white and gray matter, dulling rewards, and overactivating the stress system.—
Sarah Bence,
Verywell Health,
6 Nov. 2025
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But that did little to dull the vitriol targeting the military’s top lawyer.—
Tal Shalev,
CNN Money,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The team concentrated on stars that had recently entered the post-main sequence phase, having exhausted their hydrogen, and identified just 130 planets and planet candidates orbiting nearby – 33 of which had not been detected before.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Nov. 2025
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Despite these real dangers, our law enforcement shows incredible restraint in exhausting all options before force is escalated.—
James Hill,
ABC News,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Then use a cloth dampened with warm soapy water to wipe down the front every week.—
Lauren Wicks,
Southern Living,
6 Nov. 2025
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Mandatory overtime and stagnating wages were other factors dampening morale, which has gotten even worse now that controllers are not being paid at all.—
Joel Rose,
NPR,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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During the final week, the crew worked nonstop for sixty hours in a heat wave that parched energy and drained our bodies.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Nov. 2025
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Instead, voters now are expressing concerns that high prices for groceries, electricity bills and housing are draining their bank accounts.—
Josh Boak,
Fortune,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Not to diminish, but anybody can create their own AI characters, right?—
Gene Maddaus,
Variety,
11 Nov. 2025
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The institutions built to prevent such suffering are straining under the weight of geopolitical rivalries, eroding trust, and diminishing political will.—
ARIF HUSAIN,
Foreign Affairs,
11 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Deaden.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deaden. Accessed 15 Nov. 2025.
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