as in apathy
a lack of emotion or emotional expressiveness
the prisoner exhibited the numbness of someone who had spent more years behind bars than he could remember
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of numbness
Signs of a stroke can be identified by sudden numbness or weakness in the face, arm, or leg; sudden confusion, trouble speaking, or difficulty understanding speech; issues with eyesight; loss of balance, dizziness, and difficulty walking; and severe headache with no identifiable cause.
—
Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2026
People may also notice numbness, tingling or burning in the hands or feet.
—Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 24 Apr. 2026
The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) says symptoms depend on the patient, but MS can lead to muscle weakness, vision changes, walking problems, numbness, and more.
—Allison Degrushe, StyleCaster, 21 Apr. 2026
Who Typically Gets This Surgery Per Cleveland Clinic, candidates typically have degenerative disc disease causing persistent neck pain, arm numbness, tingling or weakness that hasn’t responded to conservative treatment.
—Allison Palmer, Miami Herald, 17 Apr. 2026
Symptoms differ from strokes caused by a blockage in the brain, as a spinal stroke causes pain in the neck or back that radiates through the limbs, muscle weakness or numbness, incontinence and loss of sensation, such as feeling touch or temperature changes.
—Cara Lynn Shultz, PEOPLE, 17 Apr. 2026
Singer Pink’s cervical disc replacement has drawn wide attention to a procedure that may be directly relevant for anyone living with persistent neck pain, arm tingling or numbness that won’t quit.
—Allison Palmer, Sacbee.com, 17 Apr. 2026
In sticking through these 30 minutes, numbness begins to feel aspirational.
—Joshua Minsoo Kim, Pitchfork, 13 Apr. 2026
What followed wasn’t numbness so much as a necessary adaptation for survival.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 7 Apr. 2026
Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2026
People may also notice numbness, tingling or burning in the hands or feet.
—Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 24 Apr. 2026
The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) says symptoms depend on the patient, but MS can lead to muscle weakness, vision changes, walking problems, numbness, and more.
—Allison Degrushe, StyleCaster, 21 Apr. 2026
Who Typically Gets This Surgery Per Cleveland Clinic, candidates typically have degenerative disc disease causing persistent neck pain, arm numbness, tingling or weakness that hasn’t responded to conservative treatment.
—Allison Palmer, Miami Herald, 17 Apr. 2026
Symptoms differ from strokes caused by a blockage in the brain, as a spinal stroke causes pain in the neck or back that radiates through the limbs, muscle weakness or numbness, incontinence and loss of sensation, such as feeling touch or temperature changes.
—Cara Lynn Shultz, PEOPLE, 17 Apr. 2026
Singer Pink’s cervical disc replacement has drawn wide attention to a procedure that may be directly relevant for anyone living with persistent neck pain, arm tingling or numbness that won’t quit.
—Allison Palmer, Sacbee.com, 17 Apr. 2026
In sticking through these 30 minutes, numbness begins to feel aspirational.
—Joshua Minsoo Kim, Pitchfork, 13 Apr. 2026
What followed wasn’t numbness so much as a necessary adaptation for survival.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 7 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for numbness
Noun
-
To succeed for the GOP, the map requires both 2024’s Democratic and independent voter apathy and 2022’s swing to the right by independents.—
Daniel A. Smith,
The Conversation,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Experts say the participation rate in local races stands in contrast to the broader apathy felt toward the Palestinian Authority.—
SAM METZ,
Arkansas Online,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Why do people team up around an emptiness, so much spent breath?—
Julian Bell,
The New York Review of Books,
25 Apr. 2026
-
The scene leaves us wondering about the sudden emptiness.—
Paul Sutter,
Space.com,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
And if salt and water start to move, so, too, does the phlegm that has been sitting dehydrated in the lungs of CF patients.—
Courtney Crowder,
USA Today,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Smelling of rotting grapes, the phlegm is musty and acetone-tinged, like a decanter of red wine forgotten in a dark kitchen corner after a dinner party, left to turn into vinegar.—
Courtney Crowder,
Des Moines Register,
15 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
When Charles was set to come face to face with one of the brightest, youngest faces of American politics, New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, he was met with only a coldness and reminder of the crimes of British imperialism.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
30 Apr. 2026
-
The term implies godlike deftness and speed but also a certain impersonal coldness — skill at the expense of passion.—
Justin Davidson,
Vulture,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Meanwhile, the Army recently established a new detachment for senior tech leaders, and its first four recruits included executives from Meta, Palantir, and OpenAI.—
Matteo Wong,
The Atlantic,
27 Apr. 2026
-
The French detachment said the Russian planes didn’t have switched-on transponders, file flight plans or enter into radio contact.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
24 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Numbness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/numbness. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
