stone-deaf
/'stoun'def/
Definition
- Adjective:
- Completely unable to hear; having a total lack of hearing ability. The word describes an absolute, profound state of deafness, often implying no perception of sound whatsoever.
Usage
- The adjective stone-deaf is used to describe a person or, less commonly, an animal. It is a strong, emphatic term. It is typically used attributively (before a noun) or predicatively (after a linking verb like 'is' or 'was').
- Note on Formality: This term is considered informal and can be perceived as blunt or insensitive in some contexts. More neutral terms like "profoundly deaf" are often preferred in formal or medical settings.
Examples
- Attributive use (before a noun):
- The stone-deaf old man could not hear the fire alarm.
- They communicated with their stone-deaf grandmother using sign language.
- Predicative use (after a linking verb):
- After the explosion, he was left stone-deaf in one ear.
- The illness rendered her completely stone-deaf.
Advanced Usage
- Used for emphasis: The word "stone" intensifies "deaf," similar to "stone-cold" or "stone-broke," to mean "absolutely" or "completely."
- He is not just hard of hearing; he is stone-deaf.
- Figurative use (rare): Can be used metaphorically to describe someone who is willfully ignoring something.
- The manager was stone-deaf to the employees' complaints.
Variants and Related Words
- Deaf as a post (idiom): An informal idiom with a very similar meaning to "stone-deaf."
- Profoundly deaf (adj.): A more formal and clinical term for a severe or total hearing loss.
- Deaf (adj.): The general term for having impaired hearing; not necessarily total.
Synonyms
- Deaf as a post (idiomatic)
- Profoundly deaf
- Completely deaf
- Totally deaf
Antonyms
- Hearing
- Sharp-eared
- Keen of hearing
Related Idioms
- Turn a deaf ear: To ignore or refuse to listen to something. (Note: This idiom is about ignoring, not about physical hearing loss).
- The government turned a deaf ear to the protesters' demands.
Adjective
-
totally deaf; unable to hear anything
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