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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for benumb
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.
-
Displaying tactical discipline and superior talent, the English national team defeated Mexico 3-2 with a lineup reduced to 10 men on Sunday night.
Verb
-
That doesn’t do anything to dull the impact of Haaland’s collection, though.
-
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.
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.
-
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.
Verb
-
Her mother remarried, and at the advice of her doctor, began drinking to numb the pain.
-
But now Love was an open wound and was numbing her grief in one way or another.
Verb
-
Historically, after that period, the chances of survival without a water source diminish rapidly.
-
Prolonged exposure to heat can lead to insufficient or poor sleep, compromising the immune system, increasing the risk for cardiovascular disease and diminishing cognitive performance.
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.
-
But as several surveys have consistently indicated, optimism about our country's outlook has undeniably weakened.
Verb
-
Freezes caused by large cold fronts pushing into the state from arctic regions can ice over and deaden fruitful citrus trees.
-
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.
Verb
-
Without tick bites, red meat, or dairy to incite it, the immune response will subside eventually.
-
A little light headedness was the only immediate side effect for a first-timer, but that quickly subsided.
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.
Cite this Entry
“Benumb.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/benumb. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
