deaden

American  

[ded-n] / ˈdɛd n /

verb (used with object)

1. to make less sensitive, active, energetic, or forcible; weaken.

   to deaden sound; to deaden the senses; to deaden the force of a blow.

   Synonyms:

   dull, numb, lessen, diminish, blunt

2. to lessen the velocity of; retard.

   to deaden the headway of a ship.

3. to make impervious to sound, as a floor.

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verb (used without object)

1. to become dead.

deaden British  

/ ˈdɛdən /

verb

1. to make or become less sensitive, intense, lively, etc; damp or be damped down; dull

2. (tr) to make acoustically less resonant

   he deadened the room with heavy curtains

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Other Word Forms

• deadener noun
• deadening adjective
• undeadened adjective

Etymology

Origin of deaden

First recorded in 1655–65; dead + -en ¹

Example Sentences

The evening signaled that this is not the type of show that will deaden an artist behind glass vitrines.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 25, 2026

The truth, however, is the obscure word - meaning "to deaden" - is the name of a police-led training exercise.

From BBC • Jan. 17, 2024

The biggest is the ball and the size of the stitches, Nathan said, and MLB made slight adjustments to deaden the ball prior to the 2021 season.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 7, 2023

I’m to the point of considering bringing in a speaker to deaden their noise or broadcast an offensive podcast at them.

From Washington Post • Mar. 20, 2023

After bandaging them neatly she had administered a potion that would deaden the pain and induce sleep.

From "Redwall" by Brian Jacques

Related Words

• desensitize
• impair