What does deafen mean?
Deafen is a transitive verb meaning to deprive of hearing, either permanently or — far more commonly in everyday use — temporarily, by subjecting someone to sound of overwhelming volume. When we say that thunder or a jet engine threatens to deafen us, we mean the sound is so intense that it drowns out all other hearing and can leave the ears ringing. The word is most frequently used figuratively, lending dramatic emphasis to descriptions of noise: roaring crowds, blaring sirens, crashing waves. Its past participle, deafened, works naturally as an adjective, as in 'she stood deafened by the blast.' Deafen belongs to a small family of English verbs formed from sensory adjectives, alongside 'blind' — a pattern that makes it etymologically interesting. It derives from the Old English adjective deaf, meaning lacking the sense of hearing. Vivid and forceful, the word is a useful choice for writers seeking to convey sound at its most overwhelming.
To make deaf; to deprive of the sense of hearing.
"Years of working beside the machinery had effectively deafened him in one ear."
To overwhelm with excessively loud noise so that hearing is temporarily impaired.
"The crowd's cheering threatened to deafen anyone near the stage."
Deafen is one of the rare English verbs built directly from a sensory adjective — you can blind and deafen someone, but English never gave us a verb for making someone smell or taste.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of deafen
Deafen is formed from the adjective 'deaf,' which comes from Old English 'dēaf,' of Germanic origin. The verb emerged in Middle English, following the same pattern that produced the verb 'blind' from the adjective of the same name. Cognates appear across Germanic languages, including German 'taub' and Dutch 'doof,' all tracing back to a shared Proto-Germanic root.
How deafen is actually used
Most often used figuratively to describe overwhelmingly loud noise; literal use (causing actual deafness) is rarer. The past participle 'deafened' is common as an adjective describing temporary hearing loss from exposure to loud sound.
Easily confused with deafen
Define means to state the meaning of something, while deafen means to make deaf or to overwhelm with loud noise.