numb
adj. · v.-
1 no physical feeling (adj.) B1 Intermediateunable to feel anything in a part of your body, often because of cold or an injury.
deprived of physical sensation, typically due to cold, restricted circulation, or anaesthesia.
ExampleMy fingers went numb after I spent an hour outside in the snow without gloves.
ExampleThe patient reported that her lower lip remained numb for several hours following the dental procedure, making it difficult for her to speak clearly.
UsageOften follows the verb 'to go' or 'to feel'.
- unfeeling
- deadened
- insensible
-
2 no emotional feeling (adj.) B2 Upper Intermediateunable to feel or react to emotions because of a big shock or great sadness.
emotionally desensitised or unresponsive, usually as a psychological defence mechanism against trauma or grief.
ExampleShe felt completely numb after hearing the news of the accident.
ExampleIn the weeks following the tragedy, he moved through his daily routine in a numb state, unable to process the magnitude of his loss.
Teacher's tipLearners often confuse this with 'bored'; clarify that 'numb' implies a heavy, shocked state rather than a lack of interest.
Show 1 more senseShow fewer
-
3 to make unfeeling (v.) B2 Upper Intermediateto make a part of the body or a feeling lose its sensation.
to deprive of sensation or to render a feeling less intense. Transitive — requires a direct object.
ExampleThe doctor gave him an injection to numb the area before the stitches.
ExampleHe used work as a distraction to numb the pain of his recent heartbreak, staying at the office until late every evening.
UsageTakes a direct object, such as a body part or an emotion.
- deaden
- dull
- anaesthetise
- sensitise
- sharpen
From the past participle of nim (“to take”). Compare German benommen (“dazed, numb”) and Old Norse numinn. The final ⟨b⟩ is a later addition; it was never pronounced, and did not appear in the original word.
- Nounnumbness
- Adjectivenumb