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
Lightweight glass, a reduction of sound-deadening materials, and the marginally lighter 6-speed manual gearbox help the 2025 Porsche 911 Carrera T Cabriolet weigh 3,505 pounds—the company's lightest manual open-roof variant.
—
Michael Harley, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2025
In times of intensifying economic inequality, when many of the jobs on offer are precarious, underpaid, and spiritually deadening, the prospect of becoming your own boss holds a lot of appeal.
—Anna Wiener, The New Yorker, 27 Jan. 2025
How the pulse deadens at the prospect.
—George Caulkin, The Athletic, 8 Jan. 2025
The cabin should be quiet thanks to the sound-deadening acoustic front and side glass.
—Michael Harley, Forbes, 30 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for deaden
Michael Harley, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2025
In times of intensifying economic inequality, when many of the jobs on offer are precarious, underpaid, and spiritually deadening, the prospect of becoming your own boss holds a lot of appeal.
—Anna Wiener, The New Yorker, 27 Jan. 2025
How the pulse deadens at the prospect.
—George Caulkin, The Athletic, 8 Jan. 2025
The cabin should be quiet thanks to the sound-deadening acoustic front and side glass.
—Michael Harley, Forbes, 30 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for deaden
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deaden
Verb
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History suggests the move may prove counterproductive, undermining concrete American interests in the name of rushing into a speculative new extractive frontier.—
Time,
Time,
17 June 2025
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These weaknesses undermine its attractive valuation metrics and strong recent growth.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
17 June 2025
Verb
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And don’t overlook the device section—Oura Ring and T3 are significantly reduced, much to our excitement.—
Kristina Rutkowski,
Vogue,
20 June 2025
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For all adolescents, participating in a sports team can reduce anxiety, depression, and feelings of loneliness.—
Gavin Yamey,
Time,
20 June 2025
Verb
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But in an unexpected ruling in 2023, the Supreme Court declined an invitation to weaken Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act.—
June 27,
CBS News,
27 June 2025
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Abandoning recognition can erode motivation, diminish engagement and make employees feel invisible, weakening the cultural fabric and undermining long-term resilience.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2025
Verb
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Even when exhaustion dulled my vigilance, my worries didn’t disappear.—
David Litt
June 25,
Literary Hub,
25 June 2025
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The trade-off with vertical slots is that the tip of your blades will rest up against the block material and may dull over time.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
13 June 2025
Verb
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In the new workplace, don’t exhaust yourself to win over everyone.—
Naira Velumyan,
Forbes.com,
17 June 2025
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If Southern California Edison equipment is found to have sparked the blaze on Jan. 7, as dozens of lawsuits allege, the damage claims could quickly exhaust the state’s $21-billion wildfire fund.—
Melody Petersen,
Los Angeles Times,
16 June 2025
Verb
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The idea that any American policy can effectively dampen Chinese ambition may be far-fetched.—
Michael Schuman,
The Atlantic,
14 June 2025
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While the physiology isn’t fully understood, the worms seem to dampen inflammation, as discussed in the 2024 Annual Review of Nutrition.—
Smithsonian Magazine,
Smithsonian Magazine,
12 June 2025
Verb
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Why Culture Matters Toxic culture can drain performance, producing distrust, low creativity and high turnover.—
Chris Williams,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2025
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But rather than engage in real fiscal discipline or rank order the needs of our communities, this budget leans on gimmicks — draining our Rainy Day Fund, borrowing billions from special funds, and relying on tax hikes that disproportionately harm small businesses and middle-class families.—
Diane Dixon,
Oc Register,
18 June 2025
Verb
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But all this trouble didn’t diminish his affection.—
Brett Berk,
Robb Report,
26 June 2025
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And the chaos does gradually diminish, like a pot of stock boiled down to a sauce.—
Tom Gliatto,
People.com,
26 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Deaden.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deaden. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.
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