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
  • But that undermines some of leisure’s biggest benefits — like cultivating a sense of joy, wonder, or learning.
    — Caitlin Dewey, Vox, 10 Nov. 2026
  • This undermines their own reversal of the Chancery Court, repeatedly throwing the firm back into the arms of its previous judge to invent a serious of unique reasons to derail the deal.
    — Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of undermines
Verb
  • This reduces the computing work required to serve identical repository data repeatedly.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 3 Nov. 2026
  • The iron in lentils can help maintain healthy energy levels by being a component of hemoglobin in red blood cells, which delivers oxygen throughout the body and reduces fatigue.
    — Cristina Mutchler, Verywell Health, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of reduces
Verb
  • Years passed, and Boakye watched as both his former partner and many of his friends died of complications from HIV, which infiltrates immune cells and weakens the body’s defenses.
    — Diana Kwon, Vox, 11 Nov. 2026
  • Losing research capacity weakens our ability to generate the next sources of economic growth.
    — Carole LaBonne, Washington Post, 8 Nov. 2026
Definition of weakens
Verb
  • Monét sings prettily on both duets, but their conventionality dulls her shine.
    — Molly Mary O’Brien, Pitchfork, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Key Takeaways Airborne hydrogen sulfide dulls silver, so many pieces need regular cleaning.
    — Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of dulls
Verb
  • That pretty much exhausts the points of agreement between the pro- and anti-Proposition 40 camps.
    — Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Instead of occupying both sides with large cooling vents, air enters toward the front of the station and exhausts through the rear.
    — Michael Lydick, PC Magazine, 9 Oct. 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
  • Those surpluses initially built a miniscule reserve into a record-setting one, but they mainly have been used to shrink Connecticut’s hefty pension debt, a $30 billion-plus problem that still drains resources from other programs.
    — Keith M. Phaneuf, Hartford Courant, 10 Nov. 2026
  • Since 2024, the Kanta Keepers cooperative has become integral to transporting waste between retailers and upcyclers, to maximize value and profit on every front, while improving flood resilience by keeping aisles and drains clear of waste.
    — Bella Webb, Vogue, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of drains
Verb
  • Fancy stats or traditional stats, nothing diminishes what Stewart accomplished.
    — Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 10 Nov. 2026
  • Of course, the purists will complain that expanding the playoff diminishes the regular season.
    — Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 10 Nov. 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 14 Nov. 2026.

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