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

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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

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not feeling or showing emotion years of physical and emotional abuse had rendered the woman numb and withdrawn

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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

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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

The feeling was gone completely since the first time his arm went numb. — Meredith Wilshere, PEOPLE, 26 July 2026 Spector is clearly concerned with the pernicious consequences of technology, its ability to numb emotions and steer people into ideological cul-de-sacs. — Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 9 July 2026

Verb

Within days, the video would be seen worldwide—the first of a numbing number of such recordings that would surface over the next decades. — Tracy Grant, Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 Aug. 2026 Damon’s Odysseus is numbed by the massacre of Troy’s civilians; Fiennes’ hates himself for leading the best men of Ithaca to their death, gutting his own community in the heedless destruction of another. — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 4 Aug. 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

Seko is advising shippers to build seven- to 10-day-plus buffers into east China bookings and prepare for potential port omissions, blank sailings and cargo diversions to alternative gateways including Qingdao, Busan and Hong Kong.

— Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 27 Aug. 2026
The familiar last name and near-blank political slate pulled him in.

— Saige Miller, NPR, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of blank

Verb

For Alex’s family, those seven months have done little to dull the anguish over what happened to him — or their determination to see the two officers who fired the shots held responsible.

— Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 25 Aug. 2026
The sparkle in her eyes had dulled and her smile seemed forced.

— Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of dull

Adjective

Mood stabilizers influence brain receptors that release and maintain neurotransmitters, calm overactive circuits and strengthen cellular connections over time.

— Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2026
As a priest, Lamb held a calm, patient and somewhat self-deprecating sense of perspective.

— Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of calm

Verb

Its movements and squeaks change in response to the person interacting with it, giving caregivers another way to reduce distress and encourage engagement.

— Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 30 Aug. 2026
For instance, a creditor might bid $35,000 for a $50,000 SUV, reducing the judgment by that amount, then sell it for $50,000, pocketing $15,000.

— Jay Adkisson, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of reduce

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nulls

numb

numbed

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Style

“Numb.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/numb. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of numb

adjective

verb

Example Sentences

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