MEANING
1. To make a body part or person numb or less sensitive to physical sensation.
2. To dull or deprive someone of normal mental or emotional responsiveness.
Use it for
Words that belong together
- cold benumbs the hands
- benumbed fingers
On the page
The cold benumbed her fingers before she noticed the torn glove.
The narrator’s benumbed hand could no longer judge the texture of the wall.
Nearby words
Related words
Word forms
- Base
- benumb
- Past tense
- benumbed
- Past participle
- benumbed
- Present participle
- benumbing
Full tense & aspect guide
- Present
- benumb
- Present continuous
- am/is/are benumbing
- Present perfect
- have/has benumbed
- Present perfect continuous
- have/has been benumbing
- Past
- benumbed
- Past continuous
- was/were benumbing
- Past perfect
- had benumbed
- Past perfect continuous
- had been benumbing
- Future
- will benumb
- Future continuous
- will be benumbing
- Future perfect
- will have benumbed
- Future perfect continuous
- will have been benumbing
Choose the auxiliary that agrees with your subject. These are constructions of one word, not separate entries.
Explore related collections
Usage notes
Primary category: horror. Forms: benumb; benumbs; benumbed; benumbed; benumbing Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings. Third-person singular: benumbs.
Practice this word in a sentenceYour margin notes
Keep a thought for later. Sign in to save privately.