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
Her sister Reina Solis, who is deaf and uses ASL, said in Murder Has Two Faces through an interpreter that Evelyn learned sign language to communicate with her.
—Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 6 May 2025
The app was inspired by Dimitri Kanevsky, a research scientist at Google who has been deaf since early childhood, and it was developed with feedback from Gallaudet University.
—Simon Hill, Wired News, 6 May 2025
According to Medical News Today, profoundly deaf means that the person can hear nothing and will depend on lip-reading or sign language.
—Meredith Wilshere, People.com, 3 May 2025
The comedian became the first blind winner of BBC entertainment juggernaut Strictly last year, three years after Rose-Ayling Ellis – who is currently starring in two mainstream network TV dramas – was the first deaf contestant to take home the Strictly trophy.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 29 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for deaf
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Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 6 May 2025
The app was inspired by Dimitri Kanevsky, a research scientist at Google who has been deaf since early childhood, and it was developed with feedback from Gallaudet University.
—Simon Hill, Wired News, 6 May 2025
According to Medical News Today, profoundly deaf means that the person can hear nothing and will depend on lip-reading or sign language.
—Meredith Wilshere, People.com, 3 May 2025
The comedian became the first blind winner of BBC entertainment juggernaut Strictly last year, three years after Rose-Ayling Ellis – who is currently starring in two mainstream network TV dramas – was the first deaf contestant to take home the Strictly trophy.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 29 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for deaf
Cite this Entry
“Deaf.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deaf. Accessed 12 May. 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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