numb
gb/nˈʌm/ us/nˈʌm/
B1
English
zsibbadt, zsibbad, eltompult, üresnek érezni magát, dermedt, ledermed, érzéketlen, hozzászokott, elzsibbaszt, érzéstelenít, tompít, enyhít, elnyomni az érzéseit
B1
1
Usage pattern:
[body part] is/feels numb
My fingers went numb waiting for the bus in the snow.
Elzsibbadtak az ujjaim, miközben a hóban vártam a buszra.
After sitting cross-legged for too long, my foot felt numb.
Miután túl sokáig ültem törökülésben, elzsibbadt a lábam.
The dentist said my mouth would be numb for a couple of hours.
Learner examples
My hand is numb.
Zsibbad a kezem.
My toes feel numb in the cold.
A hidegben zsibbadnak a lábujjaim.
Common mistake:
Do not confuse numb (no feeling) with dumb (not intelligent or unable to speak).
Meaning
without physical feeling
Collocations
numb fingers
|numb toes
|numb hands
|numb lips
|numb feet
|go numb
|feel numb
|completely numb
|start to feel numb
|numb from the cold
Synonyms
insensitive (More general; can be physical or figurative.)
|
without feeling (Plain description rather than a single-word adjective.)
Antonyms
sensitive (Able to feel sensations easily.)
|
painful (Feeling pain instead of reduced sensation.)
Themes
health
|body
|daily_life
Definition
If a part of your body is numb, you cannot feel it normally.
Lacking normal physical sensation, often because of cold, pressure, injury, or an anesthetic.
B2
2
Usage pattern:
feel numb (about [something])
After the argument, I felt numb and couldn’t even cry.
A vita után teljesen üresnek éreztem magam, még sírni sem tudtam.
He sounded numb when he talked about the accident.
Érzelemmentes hangon beszélt a balesetről.
The stress of the past few months has left her emotionally numb.
Learner examples
I feel numb today.
Ma érzelmileg teljesen eltompult vagyok.
She felt numb after the news.
A hír után teljesen üresnek érezte magát.
Common mistake:
Numb does not mean 'calm'—it suggests a lack of feeling, often after stress or sadness.
Meaning
emotionally unable to feel
Collocations
feel numb
|emotionally numb
|numb inside
|go numb
|left me numb
|numb after the breakup
|numb with grief
|numb with shock
|feel strangely numb
|turn numb
Synonyms
emotionless (Stronger; suggests showing no emotion.)
|
detached (Focuses on distance rather than inability to feel.)
Antonyms
emotional (Feeling or showing strong emotions.)
|
moved (Affected emotionally by something.)
Themes
emotions
|mental_health
|relationships
Definition
If you feel numb, you do not feel emotions strongly or clearly.
Unable to feel emotions normally; emotionally detached or blank.
B2
3
Usage pattern:
numb with [shock/grief/fear]
I was numb with shock when I heard what happened.
Amikor meghallottam, mi történt, teljesen ledermedtem a döbbenettől.
They sat numb, not knowing what to say.
Dermedten ültek, és nem tudták, mit mondjanak.
She stared at the screen, numb with disbelief.
Learner examples
He was numb with shock.
Lederómedt a sokktól.
I felt numb after the call.
A telefonhívás után teljesen ledermedtem.
Common mistake:
This use describes a mental/emotional reaction to a sudden event, not physical loss of feeling.
Meaning
stunned and unable to react
Collocations
numb with shock
|numb with grief
|numb with fear
|numb with disbelief
|sit numb
|stand numb
|a numb silence
Synonyms
stunned (More directly about shock; less about lack of feeling.)
|
in disbelief (Emphasizes not accepting the news.)
Antonyms
composed (Calm and able to respond normally.)
|
alert (Mentally quick and responsive.)
Themes
emotions
|news
|daily_life
Definition
If you are numb with shock, you are too shocked to react normally.
So shocked, upset, or overwhelmed that you cannot think clearly or respond normally.
C1
4
érzéketlen
B2
hozzászokott
B1
Usage pattern:
numb to [something]
After years in customer service, he became numb to complaints.
Az ügyfélszolgálaton eltöltött évek után érzéketlenné vált a panaszokkal szemben.
Some people worry we’re getting numb to bad news.
Vannak, akik attól tartanak, hogy kezdünk érzéketlenné válni a rossz hírekkel szemben.
She’s not cruel—she’s just numb to the criticism by now.
Learner examples
He is numb to insults.
Érzéketlen a sértésekkel szemben.
I became numb to the noise.
Hozzászoktam a zajhoz, és már nem zavart.
Common mistake:
Use numb to + noun/gerund (e.g., numb to criticism), not *numb for*.
Meaning
no longer affected by something
Collocations
numb to violence
|numb to suffering
|numb to the pain
|numb to criticism
|grow numb to
|become numb to
|feel numb to
Synonyms
desensitized (More formal and explicit about repeated exposure.)
|
hardened (Suggests becoming tough or less sympathetic.)
Antonyms
sensitive (Easily affected emotionally.)
|
responsive (Reacting strongly or normally.)
Themes
emotions
|media
|society
Definition
If you are numb to something, it does not affect you much anymore.
No longer strongly affected by something because you have experienced it many times.
VERB
B2
5
elzsibbaszt
B2
érzéstelenít
B2
Usage pattern:
numb [body part] / numb [someone]'s [body part]
The spray will numb your throat before the procedure.
A spray a beavatkozás előtt érzésteleníti a torkodat.
Cold water numbed my hands within minutes.
A hideg víz perceken belül elzsibbasztotta a kezeimet.
The injection numbed the area so it didn’t hurt.
Learner examples
This cream numbs the skin.
Ez a krém érzésteleníti a bőrt.
The cold numbed my fingers.
A hideg elzsibbasztotta az ujjaimat.
Common mistake:
In everyday English, people often use make it numb rather than the verb numb in very simple sentences.
Meaning
make a body part lose feeling
Collocations
numb the area
|numb the skin
|numb your mouth
|numb your lips
|numb your arm
|numb the pain
|temporarily numb
|partially numb
Synonyms
anesthetize (More technical/medical.)
|
deadening (Suggests reducing sensation; often used as an adjective/participle.)
Antonyms
sensitize (Make more sensitive to sensation.)
|
stimulate (Cause feeling or activity in nerves.)
Themes
health
|body
|medicine
Definition
To numb something is to make it lose feeling.
To cause a part of the body to lose sensation, especially through cold, pressure, injury, or anesthesia.
VERB
B2
6
Usage pattern:
numb [pain/feelings] / numb [someone] (to [something])
He tried to numb the pain by keeping busy.
Úgy próbálta tompítani a fájdalmát, hogy mindig elfoglalta magát.
Music helped numb her anxiety for a while.
A zene egy időre segített tompítani a szorongását.
The routine numbed his sense of excitement.
Learner examples
Walking helped numb my stress.
A séta segített enyhíteni a stresszemet.
She tried to numb the pain.
Próbálta tompítani a fájdalmát.
Common mistake:
Numb can be physical or emotional; check the object (pain/feelings vs body part).
Meaning
reduce emotional pain or feeling
Collocations
numb the pain
|numb the hurt
|numb your feelings
|numb the memories
|numb the grief
|numb the anxiety
|numb the sadness
Synonyms
dull (Common; suggests making something less sharp or intense.)
|
blunt (Slightly more forceful; often used with pain.)
Antonyms
intensify (Make feelings or pain stronger.)
|
heighten (Increase intensity, often emotional.)
Themes
emotions
|mental_health
|health
Definition
To numb something is to make pain or feelings weaker.
To reduce the intensity of feelings or mental pain, making them less sharp or noticeable.
VERB
C1
7
Usage pattern:
numb yourself (with [alcohol/drugs/work/TV])
She started drinking to numb herself after the breakup.
A szakítás után inni kezdett, hogy elnyomja az érzéseit.
He numbed himself with work and avoided talking about the loss.
Munkába temetkezett, hogy elnyomja az érzéseit, és kerülte, hogy a veszteségről beszéljen.
Scrolling for hours was his way of numbing himself to the stress.
Learner examples
He drank to numb himself.
Azért ivott, hogy elnyomja az érzéseit.
She used work to numb herself.
Munkával próbálta elnyomni az érzéseit.
Common mistake:
This meaning is not about physical numbness; it’s about avoiding feelings.
Meaning
make yourself feel nothing
Collocations
numb yourself with alcohol
|numb yourself with drugs
|numb yourself with work
|numb yourself with TV
|numb yourself with social media
|numb yourself to the pain
Synonyms
escape (Broader; not necessarily about reducing feelings.)
|
self-medicate (More clinical; emphasizes using substances to cope.)
Antonyms
face (Deal with feelings directly rather than avoiding them.)
|
process (Work through emotions consciously.)
Themes
mental_health
|emotions
|addiction
|daily_life
Definition
To numb yourself is to use something to stop feeling emotions.
To use alcohol, drugs, or constant distraction to avoid feeling emotions or thinking about something painful.
Grammar
Dictionary form
numb
IPA
GB/nˈʌm/
US/nˈʌm/
Syllables & stress
numb (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (numb)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: numb
- Comparative: number
- Superlative: numbest
Verb
- Base: numb
- 3rd Person Singular: numbs
- Present Participle: numbing
- Past: numbed
Word family
Forms
Core family
numbness
noun
Related words
numbly
adverb
Expressions
go numb
1/ɡˈoʊ nˈʌm/
fixed phrase
become numb
If your hand goes numb, it starts to lose feeling.
Examples
- My leg always goes numb on long flights.
- Her fingers went numb from the cold wind.
- If your arm goes numb, try changing your position.
Learner examples
- My foot went numb.
- My hands go numb in winter.
numb out
1/nˈʌm ˈaʊt/
phrasal verb
informal
shut down emotionally
To numb out is to stop feeling emotions, often to avoid stress.
Examples
- After the meeting, I just numbed out and stared at the TV.
- He tends to numb out when conversations get too intense.
- She numbed out on social media to avoid thinking about it.
Learner examples
- I numbed out after the bad news.
numb the pain
1/nˈʌm ðə pˈeɪn/
fixed phrase
make pain feel weaker
To numb the pain is to make pain feel less strong.
Examples
- An ice pack can numb the pain for a while.
- He tried to numb the pain of loneliness by going out every night.
- The medication helped numb the pain enough for her to sleep.
Learner examples
- This medicine numbs the pain.