deadens

verb

present tense third-person singular of deaden
1
as in undermines
to deprive of emotional or intellectual vitality an excess of detail deadens much of the mystery novel's suspense

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in reduces
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 deadens Oppressively hot, lie-down-and-take-a-nap hot, hydration-break hot, the kind of hot that deadens feet. — Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 10 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deadens
  1. undermines
  2. reduces
  3. weakens
  4. dulls
  5. exhausts
  6. numbs
  7. drains
  8. diminishes
Verb
  • Self-awareness bolsters leadership while self-surveillance nearly always undermines it.
    — Carol Geffner, Forbes.com, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Other witnesses testified about evidence prosecutors say undermines Flynn’s initial story to police.
    — Nicki Brown, CNN Money, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of undermines
Verb
  • This creates a cleaner edge, makes mowing easier, and reduces competition between the tree and turf.
    — Tricia Goss, Southern Living, 28 Sep. 2026
  • The plan also reduces investment in Central Maryland transit by approximately $360 million, or 12%, while shrinking the Baltimore region’s share of statewide transit investment from 34% to 30%.
    — Brian O'Malley, Baltimore Sun, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of reduces
Verb
  • Fink said the churn weakens the tie between a worker and an employer.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Opponents argue the proposal weakens environmental protections, stifles community input and could fast-track projects like data centers and freeways.
    — Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of weakens
Verb
  • Oversaturating floors can result in mold or mildew growth, lifting, warping, or swelling, while the soap can also leave behind a residue that dulls the finish, creating a cloudy or streaky appearance.
    — Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Sep. 2026
  • But Aroonpheng’s worldbuilding is arcane to a fault, with no thanks to a weirdly flat rhythm that dulls the excitement of the film’s many narrative swerves.
    — Beatrice Loayza, Variety, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of dulls
Verb
  • If a bureaucratic process exhausts whatever time a citizen has available, then benefits are lost or rights are denied.
    — Joshua Rothman, New Yorker, 14 Aug. 2026
  • That’s because even ordinary winds – and far worse, storms and earthquakes – cause tall buildings to sway, which ruins people’s concentration, wrecks their mood, and even exhausts them.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 24 July 2026
Definition of exhausts
Verb
  • The slime of some species also numbs an attacker’s tongue, protecting them from predators.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 10 July 2026
  • This is the type of consistency that numbs fans from their love of the game.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 20 Jan. 2026
Definition of numbs
Verb
  • Nothing drains a team faster than not knowing which version of leadership will show up today.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Calderas form when the ground above a magma reservoir collapses as the magma drains away.
    — Yook Ji Hun, ArsTechnica, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of drains
Verb
  • When the quantum of color deposited by the brush diminishes, and grows lighter, its essence as paint applied by brush reveals itself.
    — Barry Schwabsky, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026
  • The impressive density of this overload, which embraces the possibilities of relatively new technology to find novel ways to deliver and compress context, diminishes as Carter is drawn to Japan by Izumi Adachi (Kiko Mizuhara).
    — Vadim Rizov, Variety, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of diminishes

Browse Nearby Words

deadening
deadens
deadhead
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Cite this Entry

“Deadens.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deadens. Accessed 3 Oct. 2026.

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