benumb

C2+ Topic:Emotions & Feelings

US /bɪˈnʌm/ UK /bɪˈnʌm/ See IPA manual

verb

Meanings

1

verb
to deprive of feeling or sensation; to deaden

The bitter cold benumbed her fingers.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to deprive of feeling or... numb deadendesensitizestupefy paralyze dull

Opposites

enlivensensitizerevive

Word family

Forms benumbeth

Derived forms benumbedbenumbment

Related forms numb

Etymology

From Middle English benomen, past participle of benimen ('to deprive'), from Old English beniman ('to take away'); later associated with numb.

beniman Old English niman Old English

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Emotions & Feelings

# benumb

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** bɪˈnʌm
**IPA (UK):** bɪˈnʌm

## Meanings
1. to deprive of feeling or sensation; to deaden

## Examples
- The bitter cold benumbed her fingers.

## Synonyms
- numb
- deaden
- desensitize
- stupefy
- paralyze
- dull

## Antonyms
- enliven
- sensitize
- revive

## Derived Forms
- benumbed
- benumbment

## Related Forms
- numb

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: beniman
- Root: niman

## Etymology
From Middle English benomen, past participle of benimen ('to deprive'), from Old English beniman ('to take away'); later associated with numb.

## AI Etymology
Benumb is from Middle English benomen, past participle of benimen ('to deprive'), from Old English beniman ('to take away'); later associated with numb. Important recorded forms include beniman (Old English) and niman (Old English). Morphologically, the word is a built form whose named elements carry part of the historical sense. The current sense covers to deprive of feeling or sensation; to deaden. The wider family includes derived forms such as benumbed and benumbment and related words such as numb.

## Topics
- Emotions & Feelings

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benumb

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