BENUMB

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does benumb mean? 

• BENUMB (verb)
  The verb BENUMB has 1 sense:

1. make numb or insensitive

  Familiarity information: BENUMB used as a verb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• BENUMB (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they benumb    ... he / she / it benumbs   
Past simple: benumbed   
Past participle: benumbed   
-ing form: benumbing   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Make numb or insensitive

Classified under:

Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling

Synonyms:

benumb; blunt; dull; numb

Context example:

The shock numbed her senses

Hypernyms (to "benumb" is one way to...):

desensitise; desensitize (cause not to be sensitive)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

Sentence examples:

The bad news will benumb him
The performance is likely to benumb Sue

 Context examples 

The frost was benumbing his spirit.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

Besides, they were snarling all the time, and his benumbed and drowsy senses no longer took note of changing pitch and intensity.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

When really touched by affliction, her active powers had been all benumbed; and neither Lady Bertram nor Tom had received from her the smallest support or attempt at support.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

I ordered it to be repaired, bought some furniture, and took possession, an incident which would doubtless have occasioned some surprise had not all the senses of the cottagers been benumbed by want and squalid poverty.

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)