numb
numb — adjective
- numbpositive
- numbercomparative
- numbestsuperlative
1. Describes a body part that has lost all feeling, so you cannot sense touch, pain
Describes a body part that has lost all feeling, so you cannot sense touch, pain, heat, or cold — often because of cold weather, pressure on a nerve, or medical treatment that blocks sensation.
Mei's fingers were so numb from the icy wind that she could barely zip her coat.
so + numb + from [cause] + that-clause
After sitting cross-legged for an hour, Javier's left foot went completely numb.
go + numb — becoming numb
The dentist gave Amara an injection, and soon her entire lower lip felt numb.
Kenji rubbed his numb hands together, trying to bring back the feeling with warm breath.
The nurse checked whether the patient's leg was still numb two hours after surgery.
- deadened
emphasises deliberate or complete loss of sensation, often from medical treatment
- frozen
restricted to cold-induced numbness; also carries the sense of being stuck
- insensible
formal or medical term, rarely used in everyday conversation
用法筆記
Subject is always a body part or a body-area noun. The phrase 'go numb' describes the process of becoming numb, while 'feel numb' describes the resulting state.
常見錯誤
2. Unable to experience emotions, feel concern, or react in a normal way because yo
Unable to experience emotions, feel concern, or react in a normal way because you have been through a shocking, frightening, or deeply upsetting experience — you feel empty or detached rather than sad, angry, or afraid.
After hearing the terrible news, Fatima felt completely numb and could not speak.
feel + completely + numb — emotional reaction
The soldiers returned from the war zone looking hollow and emotionally numb.
emotionally numb — adverb collocation
Dimitri was so numb with grief after his mother's death that he forgot to eat.
Yuna sat in a numb daze, unable to understand what she had just read.
The constant stream of bad news left Wei feeling numb and helpless.
- stunned
implies a sudden, short-lived blow rather than an ongoing state
- dazed
suggests confusion and disorientation alongside the numbness
- desensitized
suggests gradual loss of feeling through repeated exposure, not a single shock
- responsive
able to react emotionally to events
- sensitive
easily affected by emotional situations
用法筆記
Describes the whole person, not a body part. Frequently followed by 'with' to specify the cause (numb with grief, shock, fear). 'Emotionally numb' is a common collocation for long-lasting states.
常見錯誤
numb — verb
- numbpresent simple I / you / we / they
- numbs3rd person singular
- numbing-ing form
- numbedpast simple
1. To stop a person from feeling physical sensations in part of their body, or to b
To stop a person from feeling physical sensations in part of their body, or to block their emotional responses — this can happen through cold, medicine, shock, or repeated exposure to something upsetting.
The dentist numbed Mei's gum with a local anesthetic before filling the cavity.
numb [body part] with [agent] — medical context
Freezing winter winds numbed Javier's cheeks and nose within minutes.
The cold medicine numbed Kwame's throat and made it easier to swallow.
Years in the emergency room had numbed the nurses to daily tragedies.
Hours of loud music numbed Yuna's ears and gave her a headache.
- deaden
more forceful and often deliberate, as in 'deaden the pain'
- desensitize
gradual process, usually emotional, through repeated exposure
- benumb
archaic or literary synonym; rarely used in modern speech
文法句型
numb + noun phrase
be numbed by/with
用法筆記
Frequently used in the passive ('His fingers were numbed by the cold'). The object can be a body part (physical) or a person/abstract noun (emotional). The pattern 'numb [someone] to [something]' indicates desensitization through repeated exposure.