numbs

verb

present tense third-person singular of numb
as in dulls
to reduce or weaken in strength or feeling wait for the medication to numb your mouth

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 numbs The slime of some species also numbs an attacker’s tongue, protecting them from predators. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 10 July 2026 This is the type of consistency that numbs fans from their love of the game. — Chicago Tribune, 20 Jan. 2026 Cold water immersion constricts blood vessels, reduces swelling, numbs sore areas, and flushes lactic acid from the muscles. — Outside, 10 Dec. 2025 Polarity numbs himself with alcohol and can’t be bothered with God U’s suspicious new Dean, aptly named Cipher (Hamish Linklater). — Olivia Singh, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for numbs
  1. dulls
  2. reduces
  3. deadens
  4. diminishes
  5. blunts
  6. weakens
  7. dampens
  8. subsides
Verb
  • Your taste buds change at altitude Cabin pressure dulls your ability to taste salt by up to 30%, which is why airline food can taste bland and, well, terrible.
    — Cindy Dees, PEOPLE, 23 July 2026
  • The 22-year-old was long considered ill-suited for grass, given how the surface dulls the athletic foundation of her game and rushes her forehand.
    — Ava Wallace, New York Times, 9 July 2026
Definition of dulls
Verb
  • The airborne method also reduces long scheduling times at specialized facilities by finishing tests in one flight.
    — Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 29 July 2026
  • According to the Texas Department of Transportation, wearing a seat belt reduces the risk of dying in a car crash by 45 percent in passenger cars and 60 percent in pickup trucks.
    — Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 July 2026
Definition of reduces
Verb
  • Oppressively hot, lie-down-and-take-a-nap hot, hydration-break hot, the kind of hot that deadens feet.
    — Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 10 July 2026
Definition of deadens
Verb
  • Fauci’s decision diminishes the potential for fireworks between Fauci and the chairman.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 29 July 2026
  • Basic economics suggests that as the supply of food via grocery stores diminishes, prices rise.
    — Nathan Goldman, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026
Definition of diminishes
Verb
  • Several studies show that dietary fiber blunts the blood sugar response, helping prevent spikes and dips.
    — Brittany Lubeck, Verywell Health, 8 July 2026
  • The cinematography drains vitality from even its most visually obvious ideas with lighting that blunts the impact of nearly every other department.
    — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 25 Mar. 2026
Definition of blunts
Verb
  • In fact, researchers warn that regular use not only weakens healthy sleep but increases the risk of dependence.
    — Joan M. Cook, Time, 31 July 2026
  • Water limits visibility and weakens the effectiveness of traditional surveillance systems such as radar.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 29 July 2026
Definition of weakens
Verb
  • That pillowy feeling is thanks to their dreamstrike+ foam, which absorbs shock and dampens the impact of each step—especially important when walking on unforgiving surfaces, like cobblestones or concrete.
    — Shannon Bauer, InStyle, 28 June 2026
  • As someone who enjoys gardening and beautifying my yard, one thing that always dampens my mood is the sight of weeds.
    — Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 18 June 2026
Definition of dampens
Verb
  • Eventually, the helicopter ejaculates a waterfall from its door, and the storm subsides.
    — Lauren Oyler, New Yorker, 20 July 2026
  • And once the temp subsides, a secret weapon like this can hide away in your hall closet until things heat up again.
    — Lindsey Mather, Architectural Digest, 16 July 2026
Definition of subsides

Browse Nearby Words

numbness
numbs
numerable
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Cite this Entry

“Numbs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/numbs. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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