deadening 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of deadeningnext
as in anesthetic

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

deadening

2 of 2

verb

present participle of deaden
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 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 deadening
Verb
Sam Lambert laid down a safety squeeze, deadening the ball in front of the plate and scoring Balls to trim the lead to 3-1. — Dave Montrose, The Orlando Sentinel, 16 May 2026 Another suggestion was requiring special sound-deadening balls, currently available, that lower the decibel levels considerably. — John Ramos, CBS News, 16 Mar. 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 Now, Sora 2 might just be another online fad, a reality-deadening distraction that people will soon tire of. — Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 3 Oct. 2025 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deadening
  1. anesthetic
  2. undermining
  3. reducing
  4. analgesic
  5. weakening
  6. dulling
  7. anodyne
  8. exhausting
Adjective
  • Because of their large size, giraffes are challenging to move and position appropriately for anesthetic procedures.
    — Rachel Roberts, Idaho Statesman, 17 July 2026
  • Because there is a depersonalized, anesthetic quality to it.
    — Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 26 June 2026
Definition of anesthetic
Verb
  • Careless language can transform guidance into judgment, or urgency into panic, undermining psychological safety.
    — Cheryl Robinson, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Undermining trust By introducing an AI image generator as a Google Earth feature, Google risked undermining public trust in Google Earth as a reliable reference for providing authentic imagery of the real world, Ess said.
    — Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 31 July 2026
Definition of undermining
Verb
  • Rising adoption of rooftop and distributed solar systems in South Africa is reducing national grid demand, squeezing utilities’ revenues and prompting interest in diversification.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 8 Aug. 2026
  • The goal is of course, to get more long-term LA Metro riders, but also by reducing cars on the road, traffic flow improves and vehicle emissions drop, said LA Metro.
    — Steve Scauzillo, Daily News, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of reducing
Adjective
  • The compounds in kratom show promise for their analgesic properties.
    — Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 3 June 2026
  • 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.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Mar. 2026
Definition of analgesic
Verb
  • But the horrible jobs data suggests the central bank may have to think about weakening consumer spending as well.
    — Sarah Min, CNBC, 7 Aug. 2026
  • The lawsuit comes just after Missourians overwhelmingly voted against weakening the initiative petition process.
    — Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of weakening
Verb
  • Your diplomatic touch can set kind boundaries without dulling your warmth.
    — Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 9 July 2026
  • 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.
    — Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 23 June 2026
Definition of dulling
Adjective
  • Here, the drive experience is rather anodyne, albeit entirely acceptable for a daily driver.
    — Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 4 June 2026
  • Venture forth, ye viewers of strong will, into a seemingly anodyne furniture store in San Jose, California, circa 1990.
    — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 29 May 2026
Definition of anodyne
Verb
  • The ruling involves 16 men's basketball players who sued the NCAA in Cobb County Superior Court in July after exhausting four seasons of college eligibility.
    — Zachary Bynum, CBS News, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Countless veterans whom Perry had gotten to know had experienced similarly stark recoveries after exhausting conventional treatments for brain injuries and trauma, and turning to ibogaine.
    — Michelle Lhooq, New Yorker, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of exhausting

Browse Nearby Words

deadened
deadening
deadens
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Deadening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deadening. Accessed 8 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on deadening

Nglish: Translation of deadening for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of nurture

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Aug. 7

How long is a jiffy?
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
fridge-magnet-letters
Drop a Letter Quiz August 2026 Drop a letter from a word to make a totally diffe...
See All