Word
numb
US/ˈnəm/
UK/nˈʌm/
Definitions
01no physical feeling
adj. unable to feel anything in a part of your body, often because of cold or an injury.
adj. deprived of physical sensation, typically due to cold, restricted circulation, or anaesthesia.
“My fingers went numb after I spent an hour outside in the snow without gloves.”
“The patient reported that her lower lip remained numb for several hours following the dental procedure, making it difficult for her to speak clearly.”
Usage
Often follows the verb 'to go' or 'to feel'.
Synonyms
Antonyms
02no emotional feeling
adj. unable to feel or react to emotions because of a big shock or great sadness.
adj. emotionally desensitised or unresponsive, usually as a psychological defence mechanism against trauma or grief.
“She felt completely numb after hearing the news of the accident.”
“In the weeks following the tragedy, he moved through his daily routine in a numb state, unable to process the magnitude of his loss.”
Teaching tip
Learners often confuse this with 'bored'; clarify that 'numb' implies a heavy, shocked state rather than a lack of interest.
Synonyms
03to make unfeeling
v. to make a part of the body or a feeling lose its sensation.
v. to deprive of sensation or to render a feeling less intense. Transitive — requires a direct object.
“The doctor gave him an injection to numb the area before the stitches.”
“He used work as a distraction to numb the pain of his recent heartbreak, staying at the office until late every evening.”
Usage
Takes a direct object, such as a body part or an emotion.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Etymology
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.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/numb