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 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 Within days, the video would be seen worldwide—the first of a numbing number of such recordings that would surface over the next decades. — Tracy Grant, Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 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
  • Let’s start with tracking Savu, where, because of the tiny tribes, the most obvious and boring thing ends up happening.
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Smith is betting that in a market where every phone looks the same, the bigger risk is being boring.
    — Sam Birchall, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of boring
Adjective
  • Freeze Warning The stronger of the two alerts, this warning calls for sub-freezing temperatures dropping as low as 30 degrees.
    — Ahmad Bajjey, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026
  • As a result, sudden freezing temperatures can cause materials to fracture easily.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of freezing
Verb
  • Climate policies are reducing emissions Since the adoption of the Paris Agreement just over a decade ago, global renewable electricity capacity has grown three times faster than anticipated, while solar PV build-out has increased seven times faster.
    — Simmone Shah, Time, 21 Oct. 2026
  • The filter also makes the page look like a poster left too long in the sun, washing it out and reducing contrast compared to monochrome e-readers.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of reducing
Adjective
  • Tommy Gemmell, advanced from left-back, provided the equaliser on 63 minutes and with Inter tiring and Celtic still pushing, Chalmers scored the famous winner with six minutes left.
    — Michael Walker, New York Times, 15 Oct. 2026
  • But after a while, the lack of grounding gets tiring, as various supernatural shenanigans appear to be determined more by plot convenience than anything else.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of tiring
Adjective
  • Available both in the restaurant and the cafe at All Mart’s entrance, this icy dessert has a floral cardamom flavor and a slight crunch from its dusting of pistachios.
    — Anne Ewbank, Sacbee.com, 23 Oct. 2026
  • But there’s no icy chill to his vision, only the glib confidence that a feel-good montage or a piercing Anohni and the Johnsons ballad will blind us to his film’s lack of human connection.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of icy
Verb
  • 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
  • Eyesafe technology cuts blue light without dulling the color, which is easier on your eyes during long work days.
    — Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of dulling
Adjective
  • The song develops into a slow-burn, lighters-up jam, its long, unhurried coda like getting lost in a sea of echoing, overlapping memories.
    — Dash Lewis, Pitchfork, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Protein and fiber slow digestion, supporting satiety and healthy blood sugar regulation.
    — Jillian Kubala, HEALTH, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of slow
Adjective
  • The instigating weather system bringing the risk to the Southwest is an upper-level low — or a high altitude pocket of cold air, low pressure and spin.
    — Jamie Ross, Washington Post, 21 Oct. 2026
  • The case went cold until 2014, when Stockwell was located and interviewed by cold case detectives.
    — Kerry Breen, CBS News, 21 Oct. 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 26 Oct. 2026.

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