numb.
Physically unable to feel, not having the power of sensation.
Meaning & usage
Physically unable to feel, not having the power of sensation.
fingers numb with cold
legs numb from kneeling
Emotionally unable to feel or respond in a normal way.
Dumb or stupid.
Causing numbness.
Where this word comes from
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.
To cause to become numb (physically or emotionally).
The dentist gave me novocaine to numb my tooth before drilling, thank goodness.
When I first heard the news, I was numbed by the shock.
To cause (a feeling) to be less intense.
He turned to alcohol to numb his pain.
To cause (the mind, faculties, etc.) to be less acute.
To become numb (especially physically).
Where this word comes from
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.
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Definitions, grammatical labels, IPA, etymology and examples: Wiktionary contributors, extracted by Kaikki / Wiktextract. Adapted under CC BY-SA 4.0. Selected fields and authored examples are shown; third-party quotations and audio are omitted. See contributor history.
Last enriched 2026-09-10. Definitions are in English. Romanizations are shown when supplied by the source; syllable estimates are omitted for unsupported scripts.