deafen

[ def-uhn ]
See synonyms for: deafendeafening on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object)
  1. to make deaf: The accident deafened him for life.

  2. to stun or overwhelm with noise: The pounding of the machines deafened us.

  1. Obsolete. to render (a sound) inaudible, especially by a louder sound.

Origin of deafen

1
First recorded in 1590–1600; deaf + -en1

Other words from deafen

  • deaf·en·ing·ly, adverb
  • half-deafened, adjective
  • non·deaf·ened, adjective

Words Nearby deafen

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use deafen in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for deafen

deafen

/ (ˈdɛfən) /


verb
  1. (tr) to make deaf, esp momentarily, as by a loud noise

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