deafening

[def-uh-ning]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR deafening ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

Nearby words

Origin of deafening

First recorded in 1590–1600; deafen + -ing¹

Related formshalf-deaf·en·ing, adjectivenon·deaf·en·ing, adjectivenon·deaf·en·ing·ly, adverbqua·si-deaf·en·ing, adjective

deafen

[def-uh n]

verb (used with object)

to make deaf: The accident deafened him for life.

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

deaden(def 3).

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

Origin of deafen

First recorded in 1590–1600; deaf + -en¹

Related formsdeaf·en·ing·ly, adverbhalf-deaf·ened, adjectivenon·deaf·ened, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for deafening

They know they will face either a swift backlash or deafening silence.
Phylicia Rashad and the Cult of Cosby Truthers|Stereo Williams|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Internet chatter rose to a deafening roar as speculation began about what—plastic surgery?
Butts, Brawls, and Bill Cosby: The Biggest Celebrity Scandals of 2014 |Kevin Fallon|December 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Any upcoming release of a new Apple product guarantees a deafening cacophony of idle speculation from tech sites.
Amateur Stuntmen, the iPhone 6, and More Viral Videos|Jack Holmes|August 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He joked about the deafening noise levels in the old C-130 transport planes and sex at his age, then approaching 60.
When I Met Robin Williams in Afghanistan|Matthew Kaminski|August 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Then a deafening cheer, as 50,000 people realized at once we had just experienced a major earthquake.
San Fran Kisses Its 70,000-Person Toilet Goodbye|Jon Rochmis|August 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It gave vent to three deafening brays and so burst the dam of silence that had long pent it in.
Kipps|H. G. Wells
Not until the deafening uproar ceases with sudden jerk, am I aware of what is going on almost at my invisible elbow.
Kitty's Conquest|Charles King
The President's inauguration at Washington called forth a deafening demonstration.
On a Donkey's Hurricane Deck|R. Pitcher Woodward
Perhaps he saw the bomb thrown and heard the deafening report.
The Vultures|Henry Seton Merriman
And all the time the deadly, deafening tumult of the battle went on.
The Drummer Boy|John Trowbridge

British Dictionary definitions for deafening

deafening

adjective

excessively louddeafening music

Derived Formsdeafeningly, adverb

deafen

verb

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

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for deafening

deafening

adj.

"very loud," 1590s, from present participle of deafen (q.v.). Deafening silence is attested by 1830.

deafen

1590s, "to make deaf," from deaf + -en (1). The earlier verb was simply deaf (mid-15c.). For "to become deaf, to grow deaf," Old English had adeafian (intransitive), which survived into Middle English as deave but then took on a transitive sense from mid-14c. and sank from use except in dialects (where it mostly has transitive and figurative senses), leaving English without an intransitive verb here.

Medicine definitions for deafening

deafen

[dĕf′ən]

v.

To make deaf, especially momentarily by a loud noise.

deafening

noun

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Origin of deafening

deafen

verb (used with object)

Origin of deafen

Examples from the Web for deafening

deafening

adjective

deafen

verb

deafening

deafen

deafen

v.