BENUMBED Synonyms: 70 Similar and Opposite Words

benumbed 1 of 2

adjective

as in numbed

lacking in sensation or feeling my benumbed ears took a few minutes to warm up after the frigid air outside

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benumbed

2 of 2

verb

past tense of benumb

as in reduced

to reduce or weaken in strength or feeling a succession of personal tragedies had benumbed him to all grief

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for benumbed

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
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

Definition of numbed

Verb

The combination also reduced the hazard of cancer spreading to distant sites or death by 38%.

— Mike McRae October 25, New Atlas, 26 Oct. 2026
In Spain, modern farming methods have reduced the practice of transhumance to a small group of farmers that keep the tradition alive not just for its environmental benefits but also for its cultural value.

— ABC News, ABC News, 25 Oct. 2026

Definition of reduced

Adjective

Nobody cheered; after so many years of violence, the crowd seemed numb.

— Dexter Filkins, New Yorker, 14 Oct. 2026
After nine relocations, baseball fanbases became numb to abandonment, but by 1971, Washington fans who were losing their second franchise in 11 years, had enough.

— Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of numb

Verb

The primary effects generally wear off in less than an hour, but a person’s senses may remain dulled and their judgment and coordination impaired for several hours afterward.

— Christopher P. Holstege, The Conversation, 15 Oct. 2026
Bikes like these would make a lot of sense from a sales perspective, considering the appeal of these models has never dulled in the motorcycle community.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 10 Oct. 2026

Definition of dulled

Adjective

Wyatt was charged again with drunken driving in May 2026 after she was found asleep at the wheel in Galveston County.

— Isaac Yu, Houston Chronicle, 16 Oct. 2026
The only reason to think this may be a game is if the Cowboys are asleep, and Jalon Daniels has some success running the ball.

— Mac Engel October 8, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of asleep

Verb

The tension of Noah’s character, which Lanterns presents as a parallel to John’s, is immediately blunted by the show’s need to soften and resolve everything left uncertain in John’s.

— Kathryn VanArendonk, Vulture, 6 Oct. 2026
Know More There’s plenty of history to look back on for House Democrats who worry that a favorable political climate could get blunted by last-minute GOP spending.

— Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of blunted

Verb

Such a trend, however diminished, persists particularly among constituencies with close institutional ties to the state.

— Tamir Sorek, The Conversation, 20 Oct. 2026
Finally, Nieves encouraged young salsa singers to pursue their dreams, even as radio and other traditional avenues for exposure have diminished.

— Tere Aguilera, Billboard, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of diminished

Verb

Black voter turnout surges Another factor working in Democrats' favor this election cycle is a surge in Black turnout following a Supreme Court decision that weakened part of the Voting Rights Act.

— Stephen Fowler, NPR, 25 Oct. 2026
Conditions were expected to improve Saturday afternoon as winds weakened, with fair and dry weather forecast for the remainder of the weekend.

— Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of weakened

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.

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benumb

benumbed

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“Benumbed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/benumbed. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of benumbed

adjective

verb

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