1
as in undermined
to deprive of emotional or intellectual vitality
an excess of detail deadens much of the mystery novel's suspense
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in reduced
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 deadened
Literary Hub, 3 Mar. 2026
Verb
Merrill had the same impulse—the need to become a self not necessarily free of all that money could buy but not crippled or deadened by it, either.
—Literary Hub, 3 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deadened
Adjective
-
Other teams soon showed that astrocytes in dishes, brain slices, and even anesthetized animals responded to various neurotransmitters.—
Ingrid Wickelgren,
Quanta Magazine,
30 Jan. 2026
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The lyrics have the same anesthetized ennui as in emo rap and the new wave of online rock, but the beats are menacingly new and dead-set on defacing your consciousness.—
Kieran Press-Reynolds,
Pitchfork,
17 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Aleph and other Jewish chaplaincy groups say the chaplaincy system is being undermined by the Messianic movement, whose adherents may identify as Jews but are not recognized as such by any denomination of Judaism.—
Asaf Elia-Shalev,
Sun Sentinel,
9 Mar. 2026
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The fighting has grounded regional air traffic, threatened desalination facilities that provide drinking water to millions and undermined the safe reputation of modern metropolises such as Dubai and Abu Dhabi.—
Kevin Rector,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Fires in the area and a federal immigration crackdown last year have reduced tourism, leaving his 12 buses carrying fewer passengers.—
Samantha Delouya,
CNN Money,
5 Mar. 2026
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That reduced alcohol spending is not due to price changes, but because consumption is falling, the report said.—
Betty Lin-Fisher,
USA Today,
5 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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One drugged and raped his own wife according to Pelicot’s instructions and offered her to Pelicot; another proposed his mother as a prospective victim.—
Gaby Wood,
Vogue,
21 Feb. 2026
-
Not with the quietness of a disease already in her brain; not drugged and almost constantly sleeping.—
Molly Aitken,
New Yorker,
1 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The lower target follows a yearslong property sector slump that sent home prices tumbling, weakened domestic consumption and investment confidence and led to massive job losses.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
5 Mar. 2026
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But Bradost said that the Kurdish parties were open to working with most Iranian political forces—just not the Islamic Republic, which is now too weakened to be a partner, or Reza Pahlavi, the son of the late shah of Iran, who has been publicly hostile to the Kurdish parties.—
Arash Azizi,
The Atlantic,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Many agreed the change dulled the beloved flavor of the starchy staple.—
Deirdre Bardolf,
FOXNews.com,
4 Mar. 2026
-
Penumbral eclipses are even subtler, with the lunar surface merely dulled.—
Jamie Carter,
Space.com,
27 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The boy is stupefied, snot intermingling with the puke dripping from his mouth to his navel.—
Matthew Shen Goodman,
Harpers Magazine,
19 Sep. 2025
Verb
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If you’re exhausted by life, you’re allowed to cancel plans — even fun ones — to restore your energy.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
6 Mar. 2026
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Eligibility requirements The city began accepting applications this week and will continue through June 30 this year, or until funding is exhausted, whichever comes first.—
Kendrick Calfee,
Kansas City Star,
6 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Deadened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deadened. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
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