deafen

/'defn/

Definition

Verb (transitive):
- To cause permanent hearing loss: To make someone unable to hear, typically by causing damage to their ears.
- To overwhelm with sound: To make someone temporarily unable to hear or to be heard over due to an extremely loud noise.
- To soundproof: To make a room or structure impervious to sound.

Usage and Examples

To cause hearing loss or impairment:
- Prolonged exposure to the machinery could deafen the workers.
- The explosion was powerful enough to deafen anyone standing nearby.
To overwhelm with a very loud noise (often used in passive constructions or as an adjective 'deafening'):
- The roar of the crowd deafened the players as they entered the stadium.
- We were deafened by the sound of the jet taking off.
To make soundproof (a more technical usage):
- The studio was deafened with special acoustic panels to prevent echo.

Advanced Usage and Nuances

"Deafening" as an adjective: Describing a noise so loud it makes hearing anything else impossible.
- The deafening silence in the room was unnerving. (This is an oxymoron, using "deafening" metaphorically to describe an intense, oppressive quiet.)
Figurative use: To describe an action that metaphorically prevents someone from hearing or paying attention.
- His constant complaints deafened her to any reasonable argument.

Variants and Related Words

Deafening (adj.): Extremely loud.
- The concert ended with deafening applause.
Deaf (adj.): Unable to hear.
- He has been deaf since birth.

Synonyms

Phrasal Verbs / Common Constructions

Deafen to: (Figurative) To make someone unwilling or unable to hear or consider something.
- He had deafened himself to all criticism.

Related Idioms

Deafening roar / noise / applause: A standard collocation emphasizing extreme volume.
- A deafening roar erupted from the engine.
Turn a deaf ear: (Idiom) To refuse to listen. Note: This idiom uses "deaf," not the verb "deafen," but is semantically related.
- He turned a deaf ear to their pleas for help.

Verb

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