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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of deaden
She was shot three times at close range, with a blanket wrapped around the gun to deaden the sound.
—
Christopher Goffard, Los Angeles Times, 15 May 2025
Here was an invention no one had asked for, that promised to upend perfectly good industries while further deadening the American intellect and locking in place the political biases of post-Covid Biden-crats.
—Caroline Downey, National Review, 27 Mar. 2025
By studying the images, engineers can confirm and enhance the sonic-boom-deadening properties for the XB-1's airframe.
—David Szondy, New Atlas, 3 Mar. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for deaden
Christopher Goffard, Los Angeles Times, 15 May 2025
Here was an invention no one had asked for, that promised to upend perfectly good industries while further deadening the American intellect and locking in place the political biases of post-Covid Biden-crats.
—Caroline Downey, National Review, 27 Mar. 2025
By studying the images, engineers can confirm and enhance the sonic-boom-deadening properties for the XB-1's airframe.
—David Szondy, New Atlas, 3 Mar. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for deaden
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deaden
Verb
-
Critics, including the National Head Start Association, warned the move will sow fear and confusion among families and undermine decades of inclusive policy.—
Amanda Castro
Billal Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 July 2025
-
Media implies entertainment and undermines the responsibility that journalists are supposed to have to report the truth and hold those in power accountable.—
HG Biggs,
IndyStar,
11 July 2025
Verb
-
This, together with a higher standard deduction, reduced the number of taxpayers who itemize deductions.—
Martin Shenkman,
Forbes.com,
14 July 2025
-
Choose looser fits that reduce the pressure on your hair follicles.—
Mark Gurarie,
Health,
14 July 2025
Verb
-
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is 86 years-old and his political power is weakened following the short war with Israel.—
Jackie Northam,
NPR,
9 July 2025
-
The June jobs report showed strong headline numbers, but the underlying data pointed to a weakening labor market.—
Danny Bakst,
Fortune,
9 July 2025
Verb
-
Even with such acrobatics, the fabric has not pilled or dulled.—
Yelena Moroz Alpert,
Architectural Digest,
26 June 2025
-
The set comes with a magnetic walnut knife block to securely hold each knife and maintain sharpness without dulling blades.—
Nora Colomer
may earn a commission if you buy through our referral links. This content was created by a team that works independently from the Fox newsroom.,
FOXNews.com,
6 June 2025
Verb
-
While others exhaust themselves and their budgets staying open for ghosts and insomniacs, smart operators perfect their performance when the audience is there.—
Elie Y. Katz,
Forbes.com,
10 July 2025
-
According to a report released by Social Security trustees last month, once the trust fund is exhausted, payroll taxes would only be sufficient to cover about 77 percent of scheduled benefits.—
Suzanne Blake,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 July 2025
Verb
-
Whether Trump’s raft of tariffs—delayed until Aug. 1—will dampen consumer confidence later this year.—
Suzanne Rowan Kelleher,
Forbes.com,
10 July 2025
-
Rain came through just before the race began, dampening the track during the pre-race ceremonies.—
Madeline Coleman,
New York Times,
9 July 2025
Verb
-
Be sure to rinse and drain them before using to remove excess starch and salt.—
Robin Miller,
AZCentral.com,
10 July 2025
-
The city avoided building a water filtration plant, which would have lost more than $8 billion, by investing $1.5 billion into forests surrounding New York City's Catskill, Delaware, and Croton reservoirs that drain into their water supply systems.—
Jordan King,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 July 2025
Verb
-
The best wrinkle creams on Amazon prove that drugstore prices don't diminish efficacy.—
Kiana Murden,
Vogue,
8 July 2025
-
The Commanders’ potential move back to D.C. would also pull the team out of Landover, further diminishing Maryland’s stake in professional sports and federal investments.—
Heather Hunter,
The Washington Examiner,
7 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Deaden.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deaden. Accessed 22 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share