numb
B2Neutral to informal; common in everyday, medical, and emotional contexts.
Definition
Meaning
Deprived of the power of sensation, especially through cold, shock, or injury; physically or emotionally unresponsive.
To cause to become numb; to deaden physical or emotional feeling. Also used figuratively to describe a state of mental or emotional paralysis or insensitivity.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Often implies an undesirable or involuntary loss of feeling. Can describe both physical (e.g., from cold) and emotional/psychological (e.g., from shock) states. The verb form means to induce this state.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is largely identical. Minor potential differences in collocational preferences (e.g., 'numb with cold' is common in both, but BrE might slightly favour 'numb from' in some contexts).
Connotations
Identical.
Frequency
Similar frequency in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Subject] be/become/go numb (with/from [Cause])[Agent] numb [Patient] (with [Instrument])Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “numb to the core”
- “numb with fear/shock/grief”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare. Possibly metaphorical: 'The market was numb to the latest news.'
Academic
Used in psychology/medicine: 'Patients reported feeling numb in the affected limb.'
Everyday
Very common: 'My foot went numb from sitting awkwardly.' 'She was numb with grief.'
Technical
Medical/dental: 'The injection will numb the area completely.'
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The cold wind began to numb his face.
- The dentist will numb your gum before starting.
American English
- The shock of the news numbed her for a moment.
- They used ice to numb the pain from the injury.
adverb
British English
- (Rare/poetic) He stared numb(ly) at the letter, unable to react.
American English
- (Rare/poetic) She walked numbly through the empty house.
adjective
British English
- I've been sitting so long my leg's gone completely numb.
- He felt a strange, numb disbelief after the accident.
American English
- My fingers were numb from the freezing weather.
- She was emotionally numb after the traumatic event.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- My foot is numb. I sat on it.
- The ice made my hand feel numb.
- After the injection, my mouth was numb for an hour.
- I was numb with cold after waiting for the bus.
- The tragic news left him feeling emotionally numb and detached.
- The local anaesthetic will numb the area so you won't feel any pain.
- A sense of numb resignation settled over the staff as the redundancy notices were issued.
- Years of criticism had numbed her to the negative feedback.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'NUMB' as 'No UMph' – when you're numb, you have no 'umph' or feeling.
Conceptual Metaphor
LACK OF FEELING IS LACK OF LIFE/ANIMATION (e.g., 'numb silence', 'numb stare'). EMOTIONAL PAIN IS PHYSICAL NUMBNESS (e.g., 'numb with sorrow').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid confusing with 'немой' (mute). 'Numb' is about sensation, not speech. The closer concept is 'онемелый' or 'оцепеневший'.
- The adjective and verb are the same form in English ('numb'), which can be confusing as Russian uses different words (онемелый / вызывать онемение).
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: 'My hand is numb of cold.' Correct: 'My hand is numb with/from cold.'
- Confusing 'numb' (loss of feeling) with 'dumb' (lack of intelligence or speech).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the LEAST likely meaning of 'numb'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is both. As an adjective: 'a numb finger'. As a verb: 'to numb the pain'.
'Numb' specifically refers to a loss of sensation/feeling. 'Paralyzed' refers to a loss of the power of movement (motor function), though it can also imply numbness. A limb can be numb but not paralyzed (you can move it but not feel it).
Very rarely. It typically describes an absence or dulling of feeling, which is usually negative or neutral (e.g., numb with shock, numb from cold). One might say 'numb with happiness' in a poetic sense, implying being overwhelmed, but it's not standard.
The 'b' is silent. It is pronounced /nʌm/, rhyming with 'drum' and 'gum'.
Explore