benumb

verb

bi-ˈnəm How to pronounce benumb (audio)
Definition of benumbnext
as in to reduce
to reduce or weaken in strength or feeling a succession of personal tragedies had benumbed him to all grief

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for benumb
  1. reduce
  2. dull
  3. blunt
  4. numb
  5. diminish
  6. weaken
  7. deaden
  8. subside
Verb
  • Derived from a Central African shrub, the drug's ability to reduce withdrawal symptoms and cravings were uncovered by accident, when Howard Lotsof, a 19-year old addicted to heroin, tried ibogaine out of curiosity in 1962.
    — Gavin Escott, USA Today, 6 July 2026
  • Displaying tactical discipline and superior talent, the English national team defeated Mexico 3-2 with a lineup reduced to 10 men on Sunday night.
    — Eduard Cauich, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
Definition of reduce
Verb
  • That doesn’t do anything to dull the impact of Haaland’s collection, though.
    — Teddy Brown, CNN Money, 30 June 2026
  • Ampere’s research appeared to suggest that the influx of romance book adaptations and romance drama in general has dulled the appetite for reality shows about love.
    — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 29 June 2026
Definition of dull
Verb
  • The move reflects the success of elite drone formations such as Rubicon, which helped blunt Ukraine's offensive into Russia's Kursk region by using drones to disrupt frontline logistics.
    — David Kirichenko, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026
  • Since the proposal was announced in October, Google co-founder Sergey Brin has donated $82 million to a political committee called Building a Better California that backs a variety of initiatives designed to blunt the billionaire tax proposal.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 26 June 2026
Definition of blunt
Verb
  • Her mother remarried, and at the advice of her doctor, began drinking to numb the pain.
    — Rob Picheta, CNN Money, 21 June 2026
  • But now Love was an open wound and was numbing her grief in one way or another.
    — Quinn Moreland, Pitchfork, 14 June 2026
Definition of numb
Verb
  • Give ample space to large vehicles - Trucks or buses can create a water spray that diminishes visibility.
    — NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 6 July 2026
  • The union said that unresolved complaints made against Hawk and existing climate issues have significantly diminished confidence among many educators.
    — Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 6 July 2026
Definition of diminish
Verb
  • The flow of dark traffic is one of the factors that helped explain why oil markets had weakened significantly by early June, together with a surge in exports from the US and pullback in buying by China.
    — Weilun Soon, Fortune, 5 July 2026
  • But as several surveys have consistently indicated, optimism about our country's outlook has undeniably weakened.
    — Robert Hormats, Time, 4 July 2026
Definition of weaken
Verb
  • Freezes caused by large cold fronts pushing into the state from arctic regions can ice over and deaden fruitful citrus trees.
    — Martin E. Comas, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 June 2026
  • Exposing the dental pulp and cleaning out the cavity’s contents also would have deadened the nerves and blood vessels there, leading to pain relief, Zubova said.
    — Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 13 May 2026
Definition of deaden
Verb
  • Best Linen Pants Deals When blazing-hot afternoons suddenly subside into breezy evenings, linen pants help keep you cool while offering the right amount of coverage.
    — Sophie Dodd, Travel + Leisure, 4 July 2026
  • Investors’ fears of Anthropic’s Mythos model, which was launched in April, upending all cybersecurity software businesses, have since subsided.
    — Kirk Ogunrinde, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
Definition of subside
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.

Browse Nearby Words

bents
benumb
benumbed
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Cite this Entry

“Benumb.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/benumb. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of benumb for Spanish Speakers

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