1
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in blank
not expressing any emotion
apparently in shock, he answered the police officer's questions with a numb expression on his face
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3
as in stoic
not feeling or showing emotion
years of physical and emotional abuse had rendered the woman numb and withdrawn
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to dull
to reduce or weaken in strength or feeling
wait for the medication to numb your mouth
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of numb
Charna Flam, People.com, 3 Apr. 2025
Similarly, the seat was quite firm and left us numb after longer runs.
—Matthew MacConnell, Forbes.com, 1 May 2025
Rosanna Sutherby, Pharmd, Verywell Health, 12 Mar. 2025
The Massachusetts native poignantly opens up about her trials and tribulations along the way, dealing with numbing heartbreak and being the victim of domestic abuse.
—Michael Saponara, Billboard, 28 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for numb
Adjective
She was allegedly administered lidocaine injections, which are commonly used as a local anesthetic to numb specific areas, per the Mayo Clinic.
—Charna Flam, People.com, 3 Apr. 2025
Similarly, the seat was quite firm and left us numb after longer runs.
—Matthew MacConnell, Forbes.com, 1 May 2025
Verb
Breaking, chewing, dissolving, cutting, or crushing the capsules can result in numbing of the mouth and throat and a risk of choking.
—Rosanna Sutherby, Pharmd, Verywell Health, 12 Mar. 2025
The Massachusetts native poignantly opens up about her trials and tribulations along the way, dealing with numbing heartbreak and being the victim of domestic abuse.
—Michael Saponara, Billboard, 28 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for numb
Recent Examples of Synonyms for numb
Adjective
-
Around the world, natural disasters—including the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004 and Hurricane Katrina the following year—have entrenched this concept, whereby crises create a blank sheet ready to be exploited by Big Business.—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
5 June 2025
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Dawkins will send a standard set of 10 blank nails, one each in every size (small, medium, large) so customers can try them on and decide their best fit.—
Ruth Etiesit Samuel,
Essence,
4 June 2025
Adjective
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As the Gilead flag burns, June is stoic amid the celebrating Mayday forces.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
28 May 2025
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Set in and around Marseilles, this wild, weird body horror film centers on the seemingly stoic Alexia (Agathe Rousselle).—
Gráinne O'Hara Belluomo,
Footwear News,
26 May 2025
Verb
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These products can also cause buildup and dull your hair.—
Sherri Gordon,
Health,
26 May 2025
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The edge gap is the widening space between marketing strategies that sharpen a brand’s competitive edge and those dulled by algorithmic automation, uniform targeting and the rinse-and-repeat logic of platform and industry best practice.—
Liam Wade,
Forbes.com,
23 May 2025
Adjective
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Infant Lili — who seemed to be asleep! — kept cozy in a striped hat as Meghan held her daughter in her arms.—
Janine Henni,
People.com,
4 June 2025
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In addition to the Washington, D.C., and Boulder attacks, a 38-year-old man was arrested in April and charged with firebombing the Pennsylvania governor's residence in Harrisburg, while Gov. Josh Shapiro, who is Jewish, and his family were asleep inside, officials said.—
Bill Hutchinson,
ABC News,
3 June 2025
Adjective
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American retailers cried foul and indicated Santa Claus’s sled would be empty.—
Bruce Yandle,
Boston Herald,
1 June 2025
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Those who depend on the river are already dealing with uncertainty: this season’s mountain snowpack is expected to deliver about half the median amount of water to the system’s two major reservoirs, which are already two-thirds empty.—
Elise Schmelzer,
Denver Post,
31 May 2025
Adjective
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Few clubs can match Newcastle for its success rate with player arrivals, and that comes from being calm and patient.—
Harry De Cosemo,
Forbes.com,
5 June 2025
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The outburst caused a stunned reaction from the commentators with Carlsen usually known for his calm demeanor.—
Ben Morse,
CNN Money,
2 June 2025
Verb
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Their original sentences, which were 12 years and seven years, respectively, were reduced in September 2023.—
Esther Kang,
People.com,
28 May 2025
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With Bayern aiming to reduce their wage bill, the Wirtz signing would have come at the cost of at least an extra €20million (£16.8m, $22.7m) per year, on top of a transfer fee somewhere between €100m and €150m.—
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor,
New York Times,
28 May 2025
Adjective
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Most Canadians have apathetic, if not negative, feelings about the monarchy, an institution that seems increasingly distant as the country’s cultural links to Great Britain grow weaker.—
Stephen Maher,
Time,
27 May 2025
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Now, Europe is faced with a U.S. government that is at best apathetic and at worst antagonistic and that appears set on unilaterally shifting the burden of the continent’s security onto its European allies, who must reorganize to fill the gaps.—
Sophia Besch,
Foreign Affairs,
5 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Numb.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/numb. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
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