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
Schjerfbeck also liked the way Degas bleached his pastels to deaden their tone.
—
Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 19 Jan. 2026
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
Our default options provide shelter for a fraction of those who need it and at the same time deaden streets, crowd the sky, and anger neighbors.
—Justin Davidson, Curbed, 16 Dec. 2025
Rather than slash and swing away after spotting the play, Stott tried to get the ball down and deaden it, increasing the level of difficulty.
—Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for deaden
Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 19 Jan. 2026
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
Our default options provide shelter for a fraction of those who need it and at the same time deaden streets, crowd the sky, and anger neighbors.
—Justin Davidson, Curbed, 16 Dec. 2025
Rather than slash and swing away after spotting the play, Stott tried to get the ball down and deaden it, increasing the level of difficulty.
—Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for deaden
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deaden
Verb
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Anwar, the state lawmaker and physician, expressed concern that lawsuits undermine patients’ faith in their doctors.—
Noam N. Levey,
Hartford Courant,
20 Apr. 2026
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The move comes amid a broader crackdown on speech since the start of the Iran war, targeting those expressing support for Tehran or criticism of Gulf governments, and the publication of images of war damage, which are seen as undermining public confidence and stability.—
Mohammed Sergie,
semafor.com,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Keep your focus inward, reduce noise, and protect your energy.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
21 Apr. 2026
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Avoid planting garlic near peas, beans, and asparagus, as garlic may compete with these vegetables for nutrients (particularly nitrogen), inhibit their growth, and reduce their yield.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Every time a middle-class family is forced to drain its wealth or pull back on discretionary spending just to absorb the logistical cost of a geopolitical crisis, the entire economy weakens.—
Katica Roy,
Fortune,
21 Apr. 2026
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But an industry post from commercial real estate analytics firm CoStar cites geopolitical conflict and high ticket prices for weakening demand and hotelier optimism.—
Vivian Song,
CNN Money,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Because Uncle Sam has dulled the economic incentive to create the next breakthrough.—
Elaine Parker,
Oc Register,
24 Apr. 2026
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But if the entire area was ceded back to the District of Columbia, the electoral advantage in the new districts would be dulled and new districts would be drawn in light of the state’s shrunken footprint.—
Jesse Bedayn,
Twin Cities,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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This is because eventually the sellers exhaust themselves while the buyers are persisting at the same price multiple times.—
Josh Brown,Sean Russo,
CNBC,
23 Apr. 2026
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When one physician is exhausted, others compensate.—
Jennifer Obel,
Twin Cities,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
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That cautionary note dampened Wall Street's enthusiasm and erased the stock's bump.—
Camila Domonoske,
NPR,
22 Apr. 2026
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Lower spending could also dampen inflation, prompting the Federal Reserve to lower interest rates in an effort to support growth.—
Martha Shedden,
Fortune,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Pirro described the operations as highly organized, industrial-scale fraud hubs that attract victims with fake cryptocurrency investments and romance scams, often draining life savings.—
Claire Carter,
The Washington Examiner,
23 Apr. 2026
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Basins, aquifers, and other natural storage systems have been drained past recovery in our lifetimes, and one analyst warns markets aren’t taking the matter seriously enough.—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Perpetuating ageism diminishes all of us.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Apr. 2026
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The change reflects assessment that downside risks from a severe and prolonged tariff shock have diminished after US duties on Thai exports were reduced to levels broadly in line with regional peers, Moody’s said in a statement Tuesday.—
Bloomberg,
Bloomberg,
21 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Deaden.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deaden. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.
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