## Meanings
1. Unable to feel anything in part of the body.
2. Unable to feel emotions in a normal way, often because of shock.
3. To make a part of the body unable to feel.
4. To make a feeling or the mind less sharp or intense.

## Examples
- My fingers went numb with cold while waiting at the bus stop.
- She felt numb with grief after hearing the terrible news.
- The dentist numbed my gum before pulling the tooth.
- He drank to numb the pain of losing his job.

## Antonyms
- sensible
- sensitive

## Derived Forms
- benumb
- brain-numbing
- mind-numbing
- numb-brained
- numb-handed
- numbfish
- numbhead
- numbish
- numbly
- numbness
- numbnuts
- numbskull

## Related Forms
- numskull

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *nem-

## 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.

## AI Etymology
Numb is 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. In present-day use, it can mean unable to feel anything in part of the body, or unable to feel emotions in a normal way, often because of shock. Derived formations include benumb, brain-numbing, mind-numbing, numb-brained, and numb-handed.

## Topics
- Emotions & Feelings

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