NUMB Synonyms: 198 Similar and Opposite Words

numb 1 of 2

adjective

ˈnəm

Definition of numb

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in blank

not expressing any emotion apparently in shock, he answered the police officer's questions with a numb expression on his face

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in stoic

not feeling or showing emotion years of physical and emotional abuse had rendered the woman numb and withdrawn

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

numb

2 of 2

verb

as in to dull

to reduce or weaken in strength or feeling wait for the medication to numb your mouth

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of numb

Adjective

Relationships often suffer as people withdraw or feel emotionally numb. — Sara Moniuszko, USA Today, 30 June 2026 Some doctors understandably get a bit numb to the pain of their patients. — Lawrence Ingrassia, STAT, 26 June 2026

Verb

Our team reports that as people emerge from the life-or-death struggle for survival, which eclipsed all thought and numbed sensations, their trauma is transforming into a stunned grief. — James Gordon, Time, 14 July 2026 Words that numb us to our needs, blind us to our surroundings. — Hua Hsu, New Yorker, 14 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for numb

Recent Examples of Synonyms for numb

Adjective

When Bill’s older brother Henry (Barry Ward) finds the pianist in numbed solitude in his dingy apartment, Bill has canceled all his upcoming gigs, saying Scotty cannot be replaced.

— David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 13 Feb. 2026
Ingber also notes the numbed response to these strikes from much of the American public, something that, in part, may come from the routine nature of these drone strikes as something that the nation has become desensitized to dropping bombs on enemies.

— Rebecca Schneid, Time, 21 Oct. 2025

Definition of numbed

Adjective

The training will include blank ammunition and training rounds, along with a significant presence of emergency vehicles and loud noises, police said.

— Daniel Lempres, Sacbee.com, 31 July 2026
Spencer Steer has been the blank tile for Cincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona’s lineup card.

— C. Trent Rosecrans, New York Times, 28 July 2026

Definition of blank

Verb

On a Friday morning drive to Jackson Park and the start of WNBA All-Star Game festivities, an overcast sky dulled the spectacular horizon line of Lake Michigan.

— Brian Hamilton, New York Times, 24 July 2026
Your taste buds change at altitude Cabin pressure dulls your ability to taste salt by up to 30%, which is why airline food can taste bland and, well, terrible.

— Cindy Dees, PEOPLE, 23 July 2026

Definition of dull

Adjective

How Gut Health Affects Sleep About a third of adults have at least one symptom of chronic insomnia, which refers to trouble falling or staying asleep at least three nights a week for three months or longer.

— Erica Sweeney, EverydayHealth.com, 24 July 2026
In that corner of the room, beside that window in the house in Stromness overlooking the small harbor, on a sofa upholstered in threadbare sailcloth, lay Paul, asleep.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 July 2026

Definition of asleep

Adjective

Strikes in the region have been relatively calmer over the past few days, although Kuwait said Iran hit a building belonging to a Chinese company in the northern part of the country on Thursday, killing one employee.

— Sophie Tanno, CNN Money, 2 Aug. 2026
The patented, portable Ready Rocker is ergonomically designed to help alleviate discomfort, relieve back pain, reduce stress, calm anxiety and improve sleep, fitting both deep and shallow seating with two rocking positions.

— ABC News, ABC News, 1 Aug. 2026

Definition of calm

Verb

For example, shifting the Fed’s portfolio toward short-term Treasury bills and away from long-term bonds or mortgage-back securities could reduce market price distortion and limit the government’s role in allocating capital across sectors.

— David Zhang, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2026
And China, with its massive oil inventory, has been drawing down its reserves and reduced its crude imports by more than 4 million barrels a day, according to JPMorgan.

— David Goldman, CNN Money, 3 Aug. 2026

Definition of reduce

Browse Nearby Words

nulls

numb

numbed

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Numb.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/numb. Accessed 3 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of numb

adjective

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on numb

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

mitigate

Popular in Grammar & Usage

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

Popular in Wordplay

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

How long is a jiffy?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

Popular

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Games & Quizzes