as in to reduce
to reduce or weaken in strength or feeling
a succession of personal tragedies had benumbed him to all grief
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Recent Examples of benumb
Because both actors look like lumpish proletarian versions of Ingmar Bergman stars — Alma Pöysti, radiant yet benumbed, plays Ansa like a dish-towel Bibi Andersson, and Jussi Vatanen could be the schlump brother of Max von Sydow (with a dollop of Ryan Gosling).
—
Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 23 May 2023
What’s destructive, and eventually benumbing, is the kitchen-sink clutter of fantasy, reality, wish-fulfillment and glib enchantment.
—Joe Morgenstern, WSJ, 24 Jan. 2019
But her core insight into how even mediocrities can be institutionally benumbed and conscripted into heinous projects remains fertile.
—George Prochnik, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2018
Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 23 May 2023
What’s destructive, and eventually benumbing, is the kitchen-sink clutter of fantasy, reality, wish-fulfillment and glib enchantment.
—Joe Morgenstern, WSJ, 24 Jan. 2019
But her core insight into how even mediocrities can be institutionally benumbed and conscripted into heinous projects remains fertile.
—George Prochnik, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for benumb
Verb
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Protective styles like low buns or braids can also reduce frizz throughout the day.—
Lydia Patrick,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
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In her tenure, Colorado has taken major steps to increase price transparency, reduce hospital and prescription drug costs, and hold the health care industry accountable.—
Shaun Boyd,
CBS News,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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After a debut season as shocking and raw as Aunt Lydia’s aforementioned act of discipline, Bruce Miller’s adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s landmark novel drifted into repetitious patterns with a familiarity that dulled their impact.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
2 Apr. 2026
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And even supporters of the systems say searchers can become dulled by a multitude of false alarms and miss the few actual weapons.—
Jeff Amy,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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For now, some of those near-term increases have been blunted some by Americans’ tax refunds; however, that’s not an endless well.—
Alicia Wallace,
CNN Money,
3 Apr. 2026
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Iran war disrupts daily life The Iran war is disrupting daily life around the world as governments take action to blunt the impact of the energy crisis.—
Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson,
semafor.com,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Minimal downtime, no numbing required, and results build over time.—
Avery Newmark,
AJC.com,
18 Mar. 2026
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So the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences was born as a mechanism to numb their ambitions and sow division among the labor force in Hollywood.—
Angelica Jade Bastién,
Vulture,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Together, the potential departures of two of Kansas City’s most experienced lawmakers — one on his own terms, one forced — could play a role in shaping the city’s future and diminish its ability to secure local priorities at the federal level.—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
1 Apr. 2026
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Some of the gags are inspired, some are exasperating, none of them are presented in a way that suggests the filmmakers know the difference, and all of them are shoved down your throat until they’re diminished enough to swallow.—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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But the president contends there is no excuse for the lack of participation now that Iran's navy has been sunk and its air defenses severely weakened.—
Michael Loria,
USA Today,
31 Mar. 2026
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In the state’s view, that weakens or muddies the legal boundary between the two types of gambling venues.—
Amanda Greenwood,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Another suggestion was requiring special sound-deadening balls, currently available, that lower the decibel levels considerably.—
John Ramos,
CBS News,
16 Mar. 2026
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Merrill had the same impulse—the need to become a self not necessarily free of all that money could buy but not crippled or deadened by it, either.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Tony Buxton, a climate and energy attorney at a legal and lobbying firm in Maine, told the WSJ that opposition to AI data centers in the state is unlikely to subside.—
Ashley Belanger,
ArsTechnica,
3 Apr. 2026
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Efstathopoulos expects the speech to further fuel the risk-off sentiment as investors wait for uncertainty to subside.—
Anniek Bao,Spencer Kimball,
CNBC,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Benumb.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/benumb. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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