deaden
to make something feel weaker or less strong
To make something less strong, intense, or noticeable.
to make a noise quieter
To make a sound quieter or less clear by absorbing or blocking it.
to make part of your body lose feeling
To make a part of the body lose feeling or become less sensitive.
to make someone feel less emotion or care less
To make someone less emotionally responsive or less affected, often through repeated experience or shock.
to make colors or light look less bright
To make something look duller, less bright, or less vivid.
to make a knife or edge less sharp
To make something sharp less sharp or less effective at cutting or biting.
to make electrical equipment safe by switching off power
To make an electrical line, circuit, or device inactive by turning off or removing its power, especially for safety.
- Base: deaden
- 3rd Person Singular: deadens
- Present Participle: deadening
- Past: deadened
be deadened to [something]
1become less sensitive to something
to not feel much about something anymore
- After years in emergency medicine, she was deadened to the sound of alarms.
- He seemed deadened to criticism after hearing it so often.
- By the end of the hike, my feet were deadened to the cold.
- He is deadened to the noise now.
deaden the blow
1reduce the harsh effect
to make bad news or a hit feel less bad
- He tried to deaden the blow by starting with some good news.
- The thick padding deadened the blow when she fell.
- A small bonus helped deaden the blow of the pay cut.
- She tried to deaden the blow of the bad news.
deaden the senses
1make people less aware
to make someone feel and notice less
- Too much alcohol can deaden the senses and slow your reactions.
- Long hours in front of a screen can deaden the senses over time.
- The loud, constant music seemed designed to deaden the senses.
- Alcohol can deaden the senses.