as in anesthetic
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Dissimilar Words
1
as in undermining
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 reducing
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
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Recent Examples of deadening
Jonathan M. Gitlin,
ArsTechnica,
16 Sep. 2025
Scrolling on one’s phone can be a deadening experience, but here’s someone feeling, or at least pretending to feel, a genuine feeling—even if the abundance of these videos surely numbs us further.
—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
15 Sep. 2025
But the author wisely escapes the deadening simplifications of hindsight, which turn accidents into inevitabilities and potential futures into obvious dead ends.
—
Catherine Nicholson,
New York Times,
10 Sep. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for deadening
Verb
Thin sound deadening The Enabling Technology prize went to CompositeEdge GmbH and ATA Mute BV for a new kind of sound deadening.
—
Jonathan M. Gitlin,
ArsTechnica,
16 Sep. 2025
Scrolling on one’s phone can be a deadening experience, but here’s someone feeling, or at least pretending to feel, a genuine feeling—even if the abundance of these videos surely numbs us further.
—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
15 Sep. 2025
But the author wisely escapes the deadening simplifications of hindsight, which turn accidents into inevitabilities and potential futures into obvious dead ends.
—
Catherine Nicholson,
New York Times,
10 Sep. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for deadening
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deadening
Adjective
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Any anesthetic product used on the toad must contain 20% benzocaine or lidocaine.
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The Yale researchers specifically have noted that deeper anesthetic states may contribute to postoperative cognitive problems, particularly among older adults and patients with preexisting medical conditions.
Verb
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Facilitating investment in Ukraine’s natural resources sector would put more minerals and gas under US influence, and leverage them to achieve the broader foreign policy objective of undermining Russia.
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The real focus should be on utilities demonstrating how future T&D investments will efficiently deliver power, rather than undermining competition or seeking a return to less competitive systems.
Verb
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This lifts the hull out of the water, reducing hydrodynamic drag and minimizing wake generation.
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On Tuesday, Uzbekistan was soundly thrashed by Portugal 5-0 — significantly reducing the country's chances to qualify for the next round of play in this World Cup, the first ever for a Central Asian nation.
Adjective
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The compounds in kratom show promise for their analgesic properties.
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The classic pisco sour is unmissable, as is the island cocktail made with pisco, eucalyptus syrup, and wild murta, a local antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and analgesic berry used by indigenous communities in traditional medicine and food.
Verb
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The hurricane-weakening effects of El Niño may be positive for property and casualty insurers in the Northern Hemisphere.
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An unpopular war, a structurally sound economy, but maybe GDP weakening, unemployment strong, but consumer confidence weakening.
Verb
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Blurring bamboo silk powders keep shine in check without dulling skin, while camellia seed oil and antioxidant-rich vitamin E help mature complexions look smooth, hydrated, and naturally luminous.
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The danger is heavy-handed protections for Eskom will suppress wholesale prices, dulling market signals investors need for further investment in the sector, and effectively rebranding the old monopoly.
Adjective
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Here, the drive experience is rather anodyne, albeit entirely acceptable for a daily driver.
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The two use cases presented were pretty anodyne; the glasses can capture an image and Gemini can answer questions about it and provide more information.
Verb
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Naval forces are increasingly looking for ways to defeat large numbers of drones without exhausting expensive missile inventories.
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The Spurs seemed emotionally spent after exhausting all of their energy in unseating the defending champions.
Cite this Entry
“Deadening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deadening. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
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