numbing 1 of 2

adjective

ˈnə-miŋ How to pronounce numbing (audio)
Definition of numbingnext
1
as in boring
causing weariness, restlessness, or lack of interest an utterly numbing class in statistics

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2
as in freezing
having a low or subnormal temperature the numbing air of that wintry morning

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numbing

2 of 2

verb

present participle of numb
as in reducing
to reduce or weaken in strength or feeling wait for the medication to numb your mouth

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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 numbing
Adjective
Now after four years of ongoing horrors in Ukraine, and more than two years of watching slaughter and suffering in Gaza, the latest war filling our feeds is just another numbing form of content, a digital arena in which competing forces try to assert conflicting viewpoints. — Kyle Chayka, New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2026 And that can be exhausting, numbing, and overwhelming. — James Speyer, New York Daily News, 18 Feb. 2026
Verb
The oil is mixed with garlic and soy sauce that’s been reduced with scallions and brown sugar, forming a salty-sweet elixir that delivers lip-numbing but not face-melting heat. — Warren Rojas, Washington Post, 19 Aug. 2026 The company says that, in its experience, many treatments may reduce pain and downtime compared with some conventional approaches, with numbing cream not always required. — Lyssanoel Frater, USA Today, 17 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for numbing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for numbing
  1. boring
  2. freezing
  3. reducing
  4. tiring
  5. icy
  6. dulling
  7. slow
  8. cold
Adjective
  • Some have complained that Becerra is an unworthy, boring torchbearer for Latinos — not dynamic enough to meet a moment where many hoped for a firebrand.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Sure, this may sound kind of boring, but the city in the southern Guangdong province has also just been named as the country's leader in wealthy entrepreneurs and is the beating heart of China's AI and tech industry.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 1 Nov. 2026
Definition of boring
Adjective
  • Despite the freezing temperatures, agents confiscated the migrants’ coats and refused to give them blankets.
    — Francisco Cantú, New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2026
  • The beautiful, bright, and incredibly chic three-story abode leads up to a private roof terrace covered in pines with a freezing plunge pool at its center, and an unassuming wooden door that leads to a private sauna.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of freezing
Verb
  • The new councilmember will face pressure to increase revenue and cut costs without reducing access to city services or compromising their quality.
    — Daniel Lempres, Sacbee.com, 4 Nov. 2026
  • The legislation would give the Commodity Futures Trading Commission greater authority over cryptocurrency trading while reducing the Securities and Exchange Commission's role in overseeing certain digital assets.
    — Mike Winters, CNBC, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of reducing
Adjective
  • Using a touch screen even makes sense for limited interaction by digital content editors of all stripes, but reaching across the keyboard a lot is tiring, as with any touch laptop.
    — Joe Osborne, PC Magazine, 5 Nov. 2026
  • Forget your previous experience—many of us think that exercise should be tiring and painful to work.
    — Laura Solla, Vogue, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of tiring
Adjective
  • The most extreme is the outdoor pool with Lucerne’s lake water (untreated), a truly icy experience undertaken naked.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Nov. 2026
  • Billions of small rocky, icy bodies orbit the Sun out past Neptune.
    — Phil Plait, Scientific American, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of icy
Verb
  • Essentially, the toothpaste gently smooths the area around the scratch, dulling its appearance—much like a gentle polish.
    — Ashley Chalmers, The Spruce, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Extreme weather events, such as drought or heavy rainfall, also stress trees and can trigger them to rapidly protect themselves by more rapidly pulling in the chlorophyll from their leaves, dulling fall colors.
    — Mary Randolph, Scientific American, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of dulling
Adjective
  • Stuttering drum patterns and elastic basslines rub up against glossy keyboards and slow piano chords, blending early 2000s sounds with the futuristic sensuality of Kelela.
    — Precious Fondren, Pitchfork, 6 Nov. 2026
  • On the earnings growth front, while emerging markets on average are expected to deliver a 45% improvement, India's forecast is much slower at 11%, as per Bernstein.
    — Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of slow
Adjective
  • After starting in the middle of the night, candidates get about four hours of sleep over the next five days and complete tasks like carrying logs, launching boats into crashing waves, lying in cold ocean water and running around 200 miles.
    — James LaPorta, CBS News, 5 Nov. 2026
  • Doing so before the plant is fully dormant can encourage new growth, which will be vulnerable to cold damage when cooler weather arrives.
    — Abby Monteil, The Spruce, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of cold

Browse Nearby Words

numbers
numbing
numbness
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Cite this Entry

“Numbing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/numbing. Accessed 9 Nov. 2026.

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