NUMB
Dictionary entry overview: What does numb mean?
• NUMB (adjective)
The adjective NUMB has 3 senses:
1. lacking sensation
2. (followed by 'to') not showing human feeling or sensitivity; unresponsive
3. so frightened as to be unable to move; stunned or paralyzed with terror
Familiarity information: NUMB used as an adjective is uncommon.
• NUMB (verb)
The verb NUMB has 1 sense:
1. make numb or insensitive
Familiarity information: NUMB used as a verb is very rare.
Dictionary entry details
• NUMB (adjective)
Meaning:
Lacking sensation
Synonyms:
benumbed; numb; asleep
Context examples:
my foot is asleep / numb with cold
Similar:
insensible (incapable of physical sensation)
Meaning:
(followed by 'to') not showing human feeling or sensitivity; unresponsive
Synonyms:
numb; dead
Context examples:
passersby were dead to our plea for help / numb to the cries for mercy
Similar:
insensitive (deficient in human sensibility; not mentally or morally sensitive)
Meaning:
So frightened as to be unable to move; stunned or paralyzed with terror
Synonyms:
petrified; numb
Context examples:
petrified with fear / she was petrified by the eerie sound / too numb with fear to move
Similar:
afraid (filled with fear or apprehension)
• NUMB (verb)
Meaning:
Make numb or insensitive
Classified under:
Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling
Synonyms:
benumb; numb; blunt; dull
Context example:
The shock numbed her senses
Hypernyms (to "numb" 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 numb him
The performance is likely to numb Sue
"You lose some... and you win some... and some you don't even bother to play". (English proverb)
"Someone's end, someone's beginning" (Azerbaijani proverb)
"Life will show you what you did not know." (Arabic proverb)
"It hits like a grip on a pig." (Dutch proverb)
