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
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Recent Examples of deadening
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
The tires also contain a sound-deadening foam that contributes to the Optiq’s quiet cabin.
—Mark Phelan, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for deadening
Verb
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
The tires also contain a sound-deadening foam that contributes to the Optiq’s quiet cabin.
—Mark Phelan, USA Today, 31 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for deadening
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deadening
Adjective
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The singer's 2009 death was officially attributed to the legal anesthetic propofol.—
Rachel Treisman,
NPR,
18 Mar. 2026
-
The American Veterinary Dental College, American Animal Hospital Association and American Animal Hospital Association all support anesthetic pet dentistry as opposed to anesthesia-free pet dental cleanings, also called nonaesthetic dentistry.—
Jen Reeder,
Forbes.com,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
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That’s a barrier, undermining the very mission of the Endowment, which in recent years has made significant investments to expand access to high-quality care for Nutmeg State families of diverse backgrounds.—
Josette Walters,
Hartford Courant,
27 Mar. 2026
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Accordingly, the warring factions have competed to depict themselves as the true embodiment of MAGA and paint their rivals as undermining Trump or deviating from his precepts.—
Jonathan Chait,
The Atlantic,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
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By influencing two metabolic pathways, both medications may similarly improve blood sugar control while also reducing appetite.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
28 Mar. 2026
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Understanding the gravity of a red flag warning and adhering to these precautions is pivotal in reducing the risk of wildfires during these hazardous conditions.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
28 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Epibatidine intrigued researchers for decades and was once highly sought after as a potential analgesic many times more powerful than morphine.—
Dinah Voyles Pulver,
USA Today,
15 Feb. 2026
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Some studies suggest lemongrass has anti-inflammatory, antifungal, and analgesic (pain-relieving) properties.—
Sherri Gordon,
Health,
8 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Seniors are the most reliable midterm voters in the country, and with the 2026 elections approaching and affordability already their top concern, weakening this program is a risk Republicans should not be taking.—
Joe Hardy,
Boston Herald,
28 Mar. 2026
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However, rejecting the goal of citizenship verification altogether risks weakening public confidence in the system.—
DP Opinion,
Denver Post,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
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At Source puts seven years of joint practice and mutual magnetism to tape without dulling the dynamic buzz of their live sets.—
Hattie Lindert,
Pitchfork,
2 Mar. 2026
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Also, don't store beans or ground coffee in the refrigerator—the coffee may absorb moisture and odors, dulling its flavor.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
20 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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It’s meant to be like soda — kind of empty pop calories — to lull you into the seemingly anodyne sounds of the Saja Boys.—
Charlie Harding,
Vulture,
13 Mar. 2026
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Still, there are moments in this mostly anodyne recap when Liza — who turns 80 on March 12 and has fought a litany of health problems — lets loose.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Groups usually switch out the lead skier often to avoid exhausting one person.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
9 Mar. 2026
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As these components segregate over generations, the gene drive becomes less functional, strategy that has been described as a means of developing self-exhausting gene drives that limit geographic distribution.—
Srishti Gupta,
Interesting Engineering,
27 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Deadening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deadening. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.
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