Word
numbness
Phoneticsnumb·ness, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈnəmnəs/
UK/nˈʌmnəs/
Definition
n. a feeling of not being able to feel anything, like when your hands or feet go cold and you lose all feeling. It can also describe a lack of strong emotions or a feeling of being disconnected from a situation.
n. a state of partial or total loss of sensation in a part of the body, or a psychological state of emotional detachment or lack of sensitivity.
Examples
“The numbness in my fingers went away after I moved them around.”
“After the long and difficult meeting, he felt a deep sense of numbness that made it hard to talk to anyone.”
“The patient reported a sudden numbness in her left arm, which the doctor suspected was a sign of a neurological issue requiring immediate attention.”
Examples
simple
“The numbness in my fingers went away after I moved them around.”
contextual
“After the long and difficult meeting, he felt a deep sense of numbness that made it hard to talk to anyone.”
complex
“The patient reported a sudden numbness in her left arm, which the doctor suspected was a sign of a neurological issue requiring immediate attention.”
Etymology
From numb + -ness.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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