deafen

verb

deaf·​en ˈde-fən How to pronounce deafen (audio)
deafened; deafening ˈde-fə-niŋ How to pronounce deafen (audio)
ˈdef-niŋ
; deafens

transitive verb

: to make permanently or temporarily deaf
was deafened by the explosion

Examples of deafen in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Look up Just after sundown on January 16, Lori Kaine, a resident of Providenciales, the main island of the Turks and Caicos archipelago in the North Atlantic Ocean, heard a deafening noise and looked up. Katie Hunt, CNN, 1 Feb. 2025 This lines up with the deafening roar of rumors that Nintendo will officially reveal the Switch 2 hardware this week. Jason Evangelho, Forbes, 14 Jan. 2025 Then comes the auction, which stumbles out of the gate with a Morocco trip—no airfare included—starting at $4,000 and greeted with deafening silence before finally selling for $3,500. Shelby Stewart, Essence, 13 Jan. 2025 The deafening crack of the explosion arrived a second or two later. Jim Clash, Forbes, 18 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for deafen 

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1586, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of deafen was circa 1586

Dictionary Entries Near deafen

Cite this Entry

“Deafen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deafen. Accessed 6 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

deafen

verb
deaf·​en ˈdef-ən How to pronounce deafen (audio)
deafened; deafening -(ə-)niŋ How to pronounce deafen (audio)
: to make deaf
deafeningly
-(ə-)niŋ-lē
adverb

Medical Definition

deafen

verb
deaf·​en ˈdef-ən How to pronounce deafen (audio)
deafened; deafening -(ə-)niŋ How to pronounce deafen (audio)

transitive verb

: to make permanently or temporarily deaf

More from Merriam-Webster on deafen

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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