as in dulls
to reduce or weaken in strength or feeling
wait for the medication to numb your mouth
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Recent Examples of numbs
This is the type of consistency that numbs fans from their love of the game.
—
Chicago Tribune, 20 Jan. 2026
Cold water immersion constricts blood vessels, reduces swelling, numbs sore areas, and flushes lactic acid from the muscles.
—Outside, 10 Dec. 2025
Polarity numbs himself with alcohol and can’t be bothered with God U’s suspicious new Dean, aptly named Cipher (Hamish Linklater).
—Olivia Singh, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Chicago Tribune, 20 Jan. 2026
Cold water immersion constricts blood vessels, reduces swelling, numbs sore areas, and flushes lactic acid from the muscles.
—Outside, 10 Dec. 2025
Polarity numbs himself with alcohol and can’t be bothered with God U’s suspicious new Dean, aptly named Cipher (Hamish Linklater).
—Olivia Singh, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for numbs
Verb
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Yes, the glossy aesthetic occasionally dulls the impact of the director’s more tactile sensibilities, and a few script contrivances stretch believability.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
26 Jan. 2026
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Grounding Is the Way Back Too much technical connection dulls intuition; many leaders describe their clearest thinking happening away from screens.—
C200,
Forbes.com,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
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According to the company, this reduces inventory burdens, streamlines logistics, and shortens installation timelines.—
Dianne Plummer,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
-
This greatly reduces environmental concerns related to legacy waste.—
Chris Young,
Interesting Engineering,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Give ample space to large vehicles - Trucks or buses can create a water spray that diminishes visibility.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Perception of risks diminishes, perhaps not entirely, but enough to misperceive the balance of challenge versus ability.—
Christopher Ferguson,
Big Think,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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By this decade, your body has started to naturally lose muscle mass, and putting on new muscle may be more difficult due to anabolic resistance, which blunts the muscle’s ability to respond to external stimuli like exercise and protein.—
Emma Loewe,
Outside,
1 Jan. 2026
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For Sanders, landing and holding a blue-chip defensive back during a losing season is a massive recruiting win that blunts any narratives of recruits fleeing the program.—
Rowan Fisher-Shotton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Dec. 2025
Verb
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When CEOs treat financial advice as a substitute for judgment, leadership starts to erode, decisions slow down, and conviction weakens.—
Melissa Houston,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
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Trump’s focus on the Western Hemisphere — as a show of might that weakens China’s geostrategic influence, Nikkei wrote.—
Manal Albarakati,
semafor.com,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Recession risk dampens the confidence for big purchases, even if mortgage math improves.—
John Walkup,
Forbes.com,
23 Jan. 2026
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Snow also dampens the sound and may slightly reduce the danger compared to a typical thunderstorm.—
Brandi D. Addison,
IndyStar,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
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At others, the episode tails off; dialogue subsides into silence, as though by default.—
Dan Sheehan,
Literary Hub,
22 Jan. 2026
-
Lahey said normal response to intense emotional stress typically subsides quickly.—
Donna Vickroy,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Numbs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/numbs. Accessed 5 Feb. 2026.
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