dumbing

present participle of dumb
as in shushing
to stop the noise or speech of the terrible news dumbed her for a long moment, and then she burst into tears

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for dumbing
Verb
  • In the clip, the then-6-year-old can be seen walking with his iPad to the next room and shushing everyone.
    Kayla Grant, PEOPLE, 10 Oct. 2025
  • Booing begins, and then shushing, and then booing again.
    Matthew Shen Goodman, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Dozens of pending lawsuits accuse churches of shielding predators, silencing victims and allowing abuse to fester unchecked.
    Mike Hixenbaugh, NBC news, 30 Oct. 2025
  • The British did not have legislation as all-silencing as this.
    The New Yorker, New Yorker, 29 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • And Democrats will remain the side fond of muting dissent.
    Newsweek Contributors, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Sep. 2025
  • Echo chambers can emerge, amplifying consensus while muting dissenting expertise.
    Benjamin Laker, Forbes.com, 26 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • The Blue Jays went on to stun the Dodgers that night, taking the first game 11-4 and quieting early speculation that they would be swept in four games by the defending champs.
    Paula Newton, CNN Money, 31 Oct. 2025
  • The Tresemmé Lamellar Gloss Finishing Oil is what stands between you and shampoo-ad levels of shine, locking in luster and quieting frizz with its mix of sunflower, coconut, and macadamia oils.
    Sophia Panych, Allure, 16 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • At the same time, the auto club warned that with autumn settling in, drivers should be extra alert for traffic hazards that include shorter days with diminished daylight, slick roads with rain, morning fog that limits visibility and deer, which may run across roadways.
    Frank Witsil, Freep.com, 3 Nov. 2025
  • In 1970, Godchaux left the South and traveled out west, settling in San Francisco.
    Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 3 Nov. 2025
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.

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Cite this Entry

“Dumbing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dumbing. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.

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