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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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years of physical and emotional abuse had rendered the woman numb and withdrawn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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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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as in reducing
to reduce or weaken in strength or feeling
wait for the medication to numb your mouth
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of numb
Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 1 May 2026
The passengers, including me, sat stoically in the dark, tired and numb.
—Louis Menand, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026
Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 Apr. 2026
In the book, Bunnie describes turning to pills, cocaine and alcohol to escape reality and numb the effects of trauma from her upbringing.
—Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 5 Apr. 2026
Caitlin Pagán, Verywell Health, 5 Dec. 2025
Some critics and documentary filmmakers say that mandate is reductive and numbing.
—Michael Powell, New York Times, 25 Sep. 2022
Elycia Rubin, HollywoodReporter, 13 Feb. 2026
Blast of Arctic cold on Saturday The WJZ First Alert Weather Team has upgraded Saturday to a First Alert Weather Day for strong, powerful wind gusts, numbing temperatures, and dangerously low wind-chills.
—Steven Sosna, CBS News, 3 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for numb
Adjective
Wayans also experienced foot pain, numb toes, delirium and blurry vision.
—Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 1 May 2026
The passengers, including me, sat stoically in the dark, tired and numb.
—Louis Menand, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026
Verb
The pain can last for hours and may numb your fingers, bare feet or other areas of your body.
—Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 Apr. 2026
In the book, Bunnie describes turning to pills, cocaine and alcohol to escape reality and numb the effects of trauma from her upbringing.
—Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 5 Apr. 2026
Adjective
Clove water contains compounds with mild numbing and anti-inflammatory effects.
—Caitlin Pagán, Verywell Health, 5 Dec. 2025
Some critics and documentary filmmakers say that mandate is reductive and numbing.
—Michael Powell, New York Times, 25 Sep. 2022
Verb
The 25-minute, full-face treatment involves numbing and is highly tolerable, with one to two days of mild redness.
—Elycia Rubin, HollywoodReporter, 13 Feb. 2026
Blast of Arctic cold on Saturday The WJZ First Alert Weather Team has upgraded Saturday to a First Alert Weather Day for strong, powerful wind gusts, numbing temperatures, and dangerously low wind-chills.
—Steven Sosna, CBS News, 3 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for numb
Recent Examples of Synonyms for numb
Adjective
-
When Bill’s older brother Henry (Barry Ward) finds the pianist in numbed solitude in his dingy apartment, Bill has canceled all his upcoming gigs, saying Scotty cannot be replaced.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Feb. 2026
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Ingber also notes the numbed response to these strikes from much of the American public, something that, in part, may come from the routine nature of these drone strikes as something that the nation has become desensitized to dropping bombs on enemies.—
Rebecca Schneid,
Time,
21 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
If portions of the page appear blank and an ad blocker is enabled, please disable the ad blocker and refresh the page to ensure full access to the content.—
Dom Luszczyszyn,
New York Times,
27 May 2026
-
Drewry’s Container Capacity Insight assessment indicated that only three blank sailings have been announced on the Asia-to-Europe trade route this week, indicating higher capacity deployment to accommodate peak season cargo.—
Glenn Taylor,
Footwear News,
26 May 2026
Adjective
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Rai put an exclamation point on his championship day with a birdie putt on 17 from nearly 70 feet, which only elicited a subtle fist pump from the stoic Englishman.—
Kevin Dotson,
CNN Money,
17 May 2026
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During rare lapses, Gilgeous-Alexander has stayed stoic.—
Mark Medina,
Forbes.com,
17 May 2026
Verb
-
Concern has grown over on whether AI will become a catalyst that enriches humanity or a technological toxin that dulls human intelligence while wiping out millions of high-paying jobs.—
Alexandra Kukulka,
Chicago Tribune,
27 May 2026
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Freezing can dull the garlic and lemon flavors, Schwan says, so adding those ingredients back in helps the hummus taste fresh again.—
Olivia McIntosh,
Martha Stewart,
25 May 2026
Adjective
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If your summer wardrobe is feeling a bit boring or outdated, don’t fret — Amazon just added tons of new styles to its sale section, and my top picks are all going for $10 or less.—
Emily Weaver,
PEOPLE,
29 May 2026
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Finally, the institution must be financially boring.—
Christos Korgan,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 May 2026
Adjective
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Partway up the trail, three penguins waddled past, entirely unbothered by the humans who stepped aside for them, and then belly-slid into the freezing water.—
Jordi Lippe-McGraw,
Condé Nast Traveler,
20 May 2026
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Tropical hibiscus should be brought indoors when temperatures drop below about 55 degrees, while cold-hardy types like Rose of Sharon can tolerate freezing temperatures and overwinter outdoors in zones 5 to 9.—
Madeline Buiano,
Martha Stewart,
14 May 2026
Verb
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But after years of record investment by the state in such wildfire risk mitigation, two key money sources are drying up, potentially reducing the state’s annual budget for vegetation removal by hundreds of millions of dollars.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
30 May 2026
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Although reducing carbon pollution, which stays in the atmosphere for hundreds of years, is key to tackling the climate crisis, slashing methane has been seen as something of a low-hanging fruit.—
Laura Paddison,
CNN Money,
30 May 2026
Adjective
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The sleep disorder leads to an overwhelming urge to fall asleep during the day, even when a person is well-rested, according to the Cleveland Clinic.—
Sydney Topf,
The Washington Examiner,
26 May 2026
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Studies have found that regularly eating fish is associated with improved sleep quality, falling asleep more easily, and better daytime functioning.—
Trista Chan,
Health,
25 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Numb.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/numb. Accessed 2 Jun. 2026.
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