1
: having total or partial hearing loss
deaf people
the deaf community
also
: of or relating to people who have total or partial hearing loss
deaf culture
deaf education
2
: unwilling to hear or listen : not to be persuaded
… when men are determined on mutiny, they are deaf to reason.—
Washington Irving
Washington IrvingExamples of deaf in a Sentence
He has been deaf since birth.
She's completely deaf in her right ear.
He's going a little deaf so you'll have to speak up.
Recent Examples on the Web
Collectively, these films cover topics such as Native American rights, media reporting on transgender issues, decolonization, disabled communities and navigating Hollywood as a deaf actor.
—Matt Minton, Variety, 30 Jan. 2025
Gladys Anthony, who is deaf, died in surgery at a Saint Louis hospital after the attack in her Walnut Park West neighborhood, the St. Louis Metro Police Department reported.
—Natalie Neysa Alund, USA TODAY, 28 Jan. 2025
Though the senior dog may be deaf, the lack of fellow dogs and smoke that began to fill the shelter would likely have alerted him to there being a significant problem.
—Barbara A. Perry, Newsweek, 27 Jan. 2025
Wayne eventually retired from the band in 2012, following treatment for a brain tumor that left him deaf.
—Ew Staff, EW.com, 24 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for deaf 
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Matt Minton, Variety, 30 Jan. 2025
Gladys Anthony, who is deaf, died in surgery at a Saint Louis hospital after the attack in her Walnut Park West neighborhood, the St. Louis Metro Police Department reported.
—Natalie Neysa Alund, USA TODAY, 28 Jan. 2025
Though the senior dog may be deaf, the lack of fellow dogs and smoke that began to fill the shelter would likely have alerted him to there being a significant problem.
—Barbara A. Perry, Newsweek, 27 Jan. 2025
Wayne eventually retired from the band in 2012, following treatment for a brain tumor that left him deaf.
—Ew Staff, EW.com, 24 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for deaf
Dictionary Entries Near deaf
Cite this Entry
“Deaf.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deaf. Accessed 7 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
deaf
adjective1
: wholly or partly unable to hear
2
: unwilling to hear or listen
deaf to all suggestions
deafness
noun
Medical Definition
deaf
adjective
: having total or partial hearing loss
deaf adults
also
: of or relating to people who have total or partial hearing loss
deaf education
deafness
noun
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