benumbing 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of benumbingnext
as in deadening

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

benumbing

2 of 2

verb

present participle of benumb
as in reducing
to reduce or weaken in strength or feeling a succession of personal tragedies had benumbed him to all grief

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Examples Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for benumbing
  1. reducing
  2. numbing
  3. deadening
  4. anesthetic
  5. analgesic
  6. diminishing
  7. weakening
  8. restful
Verb
  • These solutions enable just-in-time production, reducing the likelihood of waste and excess inventory while improving resource efficiency.
    Georg Beyschlag, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
  • Deregulation is integral to his message as well as the entity dubbed the Department of Government Efficiency, tasked with cutting government spending and reducing regulatory burdens.
    Joshua P. Cohen, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
Definition of reducing
Adjective
  • Some critics and documentary filmmakers say that mandate is reductive and numbing.
    Michael Powell, New York Times, 25 Sep. 2022
  • Aside from being scientifically fascinating, the special effect of these peppercorns is also a key component of Sichuan cuisine’s greatest gift to the culinary world, a numbing and spicy flavor profile known as málà.
    Chala Tyson Tshitundu, Bon Appétit, 29 Sep. 2021
Definition of numbing
Verb
  • Philips’ problems first surfaced publicly in June 2021, when the company warned that the noise-deadening foam lining its equipment, mostly CPAP machines, could break apart, sending potentially toxic particles and fumes into users’ throats and lungs.
    Peter Elkind, ProPublica, 22 Nov. 2024
  • Her days increasingly consisted of soul-deadening meetings and consultations.
    David W. Brown, The New Yorker, 15 Oct. 2024
Definition of deadening
Adjective
  • Some practitioners, like Dr. Soni, use a local anesthetic cream and ice on the area, others just go straight to injecting.
    Tori Crowther, Allure, 11 Dec. 2024
  • Multimodal analgesia uses a combination of at least two medications or anesthetic techniques, each relieving pain through distinct mechanisms.
    Heather Margonari, Discover Magazine, 28 Nov. 2024
Definition of anesthetic
Adjective
  • In the study, a team of researchers led by the neuroscientists Francis Lee at Weill Cornell Medicine and Anjali Rajadhyaksha at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University blocked the rewarding properties of opioids in mice while preserving the drugs’ analgesic effects.
    Richard A. Friedman, The Atlantic, 29 Nov. 2024
  • Nettle is said to have an analgesic effect, which is said to help with joint diseases such as rheumatism or osteoarthritis.
    Katharina Walser, Glamour, 27 Nov. 2024
Definition of analgesic
Verb
  • Climate change exacerbates the threats with rising temperatures disrupting migration patterns and diminishing the availability of milkweed, the monarch caterpillar's essential food source.
    Joseph Epstein, Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2024
  • Some experts are wary that a new administration that is less focused on renewable energy could thwart some of solar’s growth by diminishing the IRA tax credits or imposing tariffs that could increase the cost of building solar panels.
    Sarah Sax, TIME, 10 Dec. 2024
Definition of diminishing
Verb
  • Additionally, stronger enforcement of existing sanctions and the introduction of tariffs on Russian goods, in addition to the goods of its backers — weakening Putin’s grip on power and the Russian economy.
    Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, TIME, 10 Dec. 2024
  • One concern Giordano brings up is rapamycin further weakening a person’s immune system.
    Jocelyn Solis-Moreira, Flow Space, 10 Dec. 2024
Definition of weakening
Adjective
  • Hatch Restore 2 Sunrise Alarm Clock, Sound Machine, Smart Light Buy Now On Amazon $169.99 With this new, smart Hatch Restore 2 Alarm Clock, say goodbye to grogginess and hello to restful sleep that will power a busy day.
    Carina Brackett, Variety, 5 Dec. 2024
  • The mineral is involved in over 300 functions of the body and contributes to everything from restful sleep to heart health to a strong immune system.
    Ana Morales, Vogue, 5 Dec. 2024
Definition of restful
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.

Thesaurus Entries Near benumbing

benumbed

benumbing

benumbs

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Benumbing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/benumbing. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

Copy Citation

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on benumbing

Nglish: Translation of benumbing for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of benumbing for Arabic Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See All

Point of View: It's Personal

Plural and Possessive Names: A Guide

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

More Commonly Misspelled Words

Words You Always Have to Look Up
See All

Popular in Wordplay

See All

8 Words with Fascinating Histories

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments

Birds Say the Darndest Things

10 Words from Taylor Swift Songs (Merriam's Version)

10 Scrabble Words Without Any Vowels
See All

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
naughty or nice
Are you naughty or nice? Quiz He's making a quiz, and checking it twice...