1
as in numbed
lacking in sensation or feeling
I've been sitting in the same position for too long and now my feet are numb
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2
as in blank
not expressing any emotion
apparently in shock, he answered the police officer's questions with a numb expression on his face
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3
as in stoic
not feeling or showing emotion
years of physical and emotional abuse had rendered the woman numb and withdrawn
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as in to dull
to reduce or weaken in strength or feeling
wait for the medication to numb your mouth
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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of numb
Rob Ledonne, Vogue, 18 Oct. 2024
Maybe voters have grown numb to Trump’s stream of norm-breaking, head-scratching conduct.
—Philip Elliott, TIME, 16 Oct. 2024
Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 20 Oct. 2024
The base price typically does not include the cost of numbing creams, anesthesia or prescriptions for any antibiotics needed afterwards.
—Vanessa Etienne, People.com, 28 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for numb 
Adjective
If life were all gravy and hot fudge, the normal reaction would be to get a little numb to it.
—Rob Ledonne, Vogue, 18 Oct. 2024
Maybe voters have grown numb to Trump’s stream of norm-breaking, head-scratching conduct.
—Philip Elliott, TIME, 16 Oct. 2024
Verb
At a certain point in this franchise, watching beloved (or just likable) characters die became numbing, with only the occasional loss really cutting through and leaving an impact.
—Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 20 Oct. 2024
The base price typically does not include the cost of numbing creams, anesthesia or prescriptions for any antibiotics needed afterwards.
—Vanessa Etienne, People.com, 28 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for numb
Recent Examples of Synonyms for numb
Adjective
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Six world-class interior designers were given a blank canvas to create their interiors, and the results are strikingly different, from Luca Dini’s waterfall through the superyacht’s two-level beach club to the large picture windows on the interior salon by Francois Zuretti.Michael Verdon, Robb Report, 4 Nov. 2024
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Seconds later, the clown pulled out a gun and shot Warren in the mouth at point blank range.KC Baker, People.com, 4 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) is known for his stoic public face.Hans Nichols, Axios, 21 Oct. 2024
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This is a revenge story, as classical in its arc as True Grit or Kill Bill, and Taylor-Joy holds the film’s rage and bloodlust in her tiny frame and stoic face.Taylor Antrim, Vogue, 29 Sep. 2024
Verb
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And the endless regroups have dulled some of the excitement.The Athletic NHL Staff, The Athletic, 21 Nov. 2024
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Zero' Is the King of Anime Arena Fighters Blood no longer looks stiff and unmoving, but is actual fluid that shines and dulls in different lighting.Aimee Hart, Rolling Stone, 10 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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More than 40 people have been killed on CTA property since 2001, including four people who were fatally shot while asleep on a CTA Blue Line train last month.Will Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 17 Oct. 2024
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According to the scholar Maria Tatar, these were folktales shared among adults after hours, while the children were asleep.Jennifer Wilson, The New Yorker, 4 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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The battle is underway, but the bad actors no longer play on an empty field.Hod Fleishman, Forbes, 27 Nov. 2024
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Footage of the interaction between Penny and Neely, which began about 2 minutes after the incident started, captures Penny holding Neely for about 4 minutes and 57 seconds on a relatively empty train with a couple of passengers nearby.Kiara Alfonseca, ABC News, 27 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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In years where solar activity is calmer, pockets of cold air form high in the atmosphere, which results in colder winters and stronger easterly winds over northern Europe and the northern U.S..Corey Buhay, Outside Online, 7 Nov. 2024
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The first night was calm and he was just getting used to his new environment, but the next morning everything was different.Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024
Verb
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While noting that many Arizona cities have drastically reduced their per capita water demand, Goddard argued that cities will eventually need to find water-sharing arrangements with farms so that cities can pay farmers to use their water in dry times.Austin Corona, The Arizona Republic, 22 Nov. 2024
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Some items that normally retail for upwards of $500 have been reduced to $99 or less.John Tufts, The Indianapolis Star, 21 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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That feels off, as Hoosiers don't strike me as a particularly apathetic bunch.Eric Larsen, The Indianapolis Star, 1 Nov. 2024
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Popular on Variety Hank isn’t entirely apathetic, eventually becoming a science teacher.Stephen Saito, Variety, 13 Sep. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Numb.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/numb. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024.
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