1
as in numbed
lacking in sensation or feeling
I've been sitting in the same position for too long and now my feet are numb
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2
as in blank
not expressing any emotion
apparently in shock, he answered the police officer's questions with a numb expression on his face
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3
as in stoic
not feeling or showing emotion
years of physical and emotional abuse had rendered the woman numb and withdrawn
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as in to dull
to reduce or weaken in strength or feeling
wait for the medication to numb your mouth
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of numb
Sarah Jividen, Verywell Health, 22 Apr. 2025
The passenger blacked out, and woke up confused, with his hands numb.
—Tyler Foggatt, New Yorker, 24 May 2025
Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 21 June 2025
The second session took about an hour from numbing to laser and went even better than my first.
—Marie Lodi, Allure, 1 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for numb
Adjective
Ingredients like menthol, capsaicin, or arnica can provide a cooling or warming sensation that helps numb pain and reduce inflammation.
—Sarah Jividen, Verywell Health, 22 Apr. 2025
The passenger blacked out, and woke up confused, with his hands numb.
—Tyler Foggatt, New Yorker, 24 May 2025
Verb
The first step in both cases is getting your scrotum numbed by applying a topical anesthetic ointment or cream.
—Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 21 June 2025
The second session took about an hour from numbing to laser and went even better than my first.
—Marie Lodi, Allure, 1 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for numb
Recent Examples of Synonyms for numb
Adjective
-
The first Tron had played out as a series of face-offs featuring glowing figures against a black background, replicating the blank environment of an arcade screen.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
27 June 2025
-
Wear it as a blank canvas, or switch things up with a statement belt.—
Catie Pusateri,
Glamour,
26 June 2025
Adjective
-
Guthrie, her fiancé, took to casually goading Loeb about how Twysden now spurned him, while Loeb accepted the insults with a stoic passivity, mooning over Twysden, the others felt, like a lovesick puppy.—
Tony Perrottet,
Smithsonian Magazine,
30 June 2025
-
His Superman is also very passionate and vocal, breaking from the traditionally stoic hero.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
28 June 2025
Verb
-
Even when exhaustion dulled my vigilance, my worries didn’t disappear.—
David Litt
June 25,
Literary Hub,
25 June 2025
-
The trade-off with vertical slots is that the tip of your blades will rest up against the block material and may dull over time.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
13 June 2025
Adjective
-
Hargitay and her siblings (who were all asleep in the backseat) survived with minor injuries.—
Lynsey Eidell,
People.com,
29 June 2025
-
The kids were asleep in the back seat; the three adults in the front—Mansfield, her companion at the time, and the car’s driver—were killed instantly.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
27 June 2025
Adjective
-
At the corner of West Boulevard and Romare Bearden Drive, the majority of a 3.5-acre lot sits empty.—
Briah Lumpkins,
Charlotte Observer,
7 July 2025
-
The actor is actually photographed on an empty set, with one or two life-size props to give him his bearings; meanwhile, another camera superimposes the miniature set, in sync with the first camera.—
Andrew Tobias,
Vulture,
7 July 2025
Adjective
-
There’s something wonderfully timeless about pushing off from shore in a canoe as the paddles dip quietly through calm water as dragonflies skim by.—
Cameron Beall,
Southern Living,
29 June 2025
-
What if your government made the calm, rational decision that your country must cease to exist, then set about shutting it down in stages, as the currency became worthless and the population scrambled to emigrate?—
Judy Berman,
Time,
27 June 2025
Verb
-
To reduce background noise when making phone calls or joining in with a video meeting, Headphone (1) has a 4-microphone ENC system that’s backed up by AI.—
Mark Sparrow,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2025
-
As part of its strategy to reduce cancer rates, the European Commission aims to reduce tobacco use to less than 5% of the EU population by 2040.—
Lisa Klaassen,
CNN Money,
1 July 2025
Adjective
-
But with an apathetic fan base, securing donations for a capital project was a non-starter, especially when name, image and likeness funding is paramount toward recruiting and retaining quality athletes.—
Scott Dochterman,
New York Times,
26 Mar. 2025
-
Polls have shown that many Mexicans are both skeptical and apathetic— and have no idea whom to favor among the vast array of mostly unknown contenders, some with links to organized crime.—
Patrick J. McDonnell,
Los Angeles Times,
31 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Numb.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/numb. Accessed 10 Jul. 2025.
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