Synonyms

numbing

American

[nuhm-ing] / ˈnʌm ɪŋ /

adjective

causing numbness or insensibility; stupefying.

the numbing effects of grief; a story repeated with numbing regularity.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

numbingly

adverb

Etymology

Origin of numbing

First recorded in 1625–35; numb + -ing ²

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The numbing lidocaine was injected first and sprayed down my windpipe, making me feel as if I were drowning.

From Slate • Apr. 18, 2026

When supplied in large quantities, they can have a numbing effect.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 28, 2025

"Is it, in fact, unhealthy and desensitising and numbing to feel joy when we're surrounded by so much suffering?" he asks.

From BBC • Sep. 1, 2025

That’s the only explanation for the numbing lack of thrills or chills or dread in Osgood Perkins’ “The Monkey.”

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 21, 2025

He rubs a numbing ointment on one of the deeper cuts, keeping his attention fixed on my wounds.

From "An Ember in the Ashes" by Sabaa Tahir

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023