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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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 numbing
Adjective
And that can be exhausting, numbing, and overwhelming. — James Speyer, New York Daily News, 18 Feb. 2026 Gill, one of Turner's attorneys, said the ruling was a numbing disappointment. — Kristine Phillips, IndyStar, 26 Jan. 2026
Verb
On the spicy side, there were plenty of fragrant, tingly, numbing málà peppers. — Charlotte Observer, 7 May 2026 People with chemical keratitis, as it’s called, are generally treated with numbing drops and need to have their eyes flushed—sometimes for hours—until their pH returns to normal. — Angela Haupt, Time, 19 Mar. 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
  • The boring rosters, the passive-aggressive press conferences, the endless parade of mediocre seasons — cresting and falling with an inexplicable 2021 and 2026 — has been brutal to watch.
    — Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 19 Aug. 2026
  • The real world is always more boring than sci-fi, but solving this part of the puzzle will still be fascinating and not easy.
    — Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of boring
Adjective
  • The freezing-water memories apparently became something of a theme for the franchise.
    — Lily Brown, PEOPLE, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Elective egg freezing was considered experimental until about 2013, when freezing techniques improved.
    — Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of freezing
Verb
  • China, too, has relied heavily on its own massive oil stockpiles, while simultaneously drastically reducing its crude imports.
    — David Goldman, CNN Money, 22 Aug. 2026
  • That’s the international initiative aimed at reducing the number of severe injury and fatal crashes to zero.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of reducing
Adjective
  • Food & Drink You’ll find just two dining venues on the property, The Dining Room (which serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner) and the poolside Palapa Bar, but there’s no chance of tiring of the fare.
    — Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Permanent Marker Removal Trying to scrub permanent marker away is tiring, time-consuming, and often futile without some type of product to loosen the marker.
    — Timothy Dale, The Spruce, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of tiring
Adjective
  • By contrast, cool blondes feature ash, pearl, or icy tones for a cleaner, brighter look.
    — Emma-Jade Stoddart, Glamour, 20 Aug. 2026
  • The cancellation of this upgrade has implications for some of the European Space Agency’s science missions, including a probe to Saturn’s icy moon Enceladus.
    — Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of icy
Verb
  • To protect himself, however, Trask has created an inhibitor field that de-powers any mutant nearby, dulling Wolverine’s healing power and ferocity.
    — Jordan Moreau, Variety, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Here are the cleaning mistakes that could be dulling your hardwood floors’ shine, as well as the simple fixes to restore their finish.
    — Martha Stewart, Martha Stewart, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of dulling
Adjective
  • The challenge is that the hydrogen evolution reaction is slower in alkaline environments, increasing the need for catalysts that can deliver high activity without rapidly losing performance.
    — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 22 Aug. 2026
  • As Mikhail Gorbachev became Soviet premier and promised new openness with a policy of glasnost, a slow thaw would begin toward free speech, human rights, the release of political dissidents and relaxed restrictions on emigration.
    — Maura Fox, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of slow
Adjective
  • The Port of Los Angeles forklift driver was wearing a life vest and was floating away, out to sea -- cold, worried about sharks and drowning.
    — Michele Gile, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026
  • In the last week, the park has experienced harsh winds and cold temperatures overnight.
    — Jack Guy, CNN Money, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of cold

Browse Nearby Words

numbers
numbing
numbness
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Numbing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/numbing. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on numbing

Nglish: Translation of numbing for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

How to Pronounce the Trickiest Menu Items

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 21

16 Glee-ridden Words from Schitt's Creek
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
alt-684346df967d5
Add A Letter Quiz Pick the letter that goes in the same spot in fou...
See All