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years of physical and emotional abuse had rendered the woman numb and withdrawn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
Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 23 May 2025
On one hand, actors become more and more capable of doing impossible stunts with the help of technology, and yet, on the other hand, the concept of danger and limit gets blurred and the audience is numb [to it].
—Jack Dunn, Variety, 11 May 2025
Tom Zirpoli, Baltimore Sun, 22 Apr. 2025
Trainers disinfect open wounds and put numbing cream around horns to minimize pain.
—Chang W. Lee, New York Times, 7 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for numb
Adjective
Dawn Hughes says substances can 'numb' abuse after Cassie 'freak offs' testimony
Victims of abuse using substances while facing violence is one common coping mechanism, Hughes told the court on May 21.
—Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 23 May 2025
On one hand, actors become more and more capable of doing impossible stunts with the help of technology, and yet, on the other hand, the concept of danger and limit gets blurred and the audience is numb [to it].
—Jack Dunn, Variety, 11 May 2025
Verb
Trump, however, has numbed our senses with endless authoritarian actions that have ignored our Constitution’s checks and balances, weakened our freedoms and snubbed our judicial system.
—Tom Zirpoli, Baltimore Sun, 22 Apr. 2025
Trainers disinfect open wounds and put numbing cream around horns to minimize pain.
—Chang W. Lee, New York Times, 7 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
-
Twelve refill capsules are also included, as well as a prepaid shipping box to send the empty ones back.—
Matthew Korfhage,
Wired News,
25 June 2025
-
The notion Tehran was sprinting toward a nuclear bomb is an empty talking point.—
Newsweek Staff,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 June 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
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Using the current policy baseline, the CBO found that the legislation would reduce the deficit by $508 billion.—
Samantha-Jo Roth,
The Washington Examiner,
1 July 2025
Adjective
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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 7 Jul. 2025.
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