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deafening
/ˈdɛf.ən.ɪŋ/
extremely loud
The explosion produced a deafening roar that could be heard miles away.
The sound was so loud it was physically overwhelming.
general
Extremely loud, so loud that it makes it difficult to hear anything else.
The crowd's deafening cheers filled the stadium after the winning goal.
The noise was overwhelming due to its sheer volume.
A deafening silence followed the shocking announcement.
The quiet was so intense it felt oppressive.
Often used metaphorically to describe overwhelming emotional or social noise (e.g., 'deafening silence').
Collocations
deafening silencean oppressive, complete silencedeafening roara very loud, overwhelming sound
Pro Tip
Avoid redundancy
Don't pair 'deafening' with other loudness descriptors like 'very loud'—it's already an intensifier. Instead, say 'deafening noise' or 'deafening applause.'
Gold Rule
Literal vs. metaphorical use
Use 'deafening' literally for sounds (e.g., 'deafening explosion') and metaphorically for emotional/social contexts (e.g., 'a deafening silence after the argument').
Word Origin
From the verb 'deafen' (to make someone unable to hear) + the suffix '-ing', indicating the result of an action. The verb 'deafen' comes from Old English 'dēaf' (deaf) + the causative suffix '-n' (to make deaf).
Usage Notes
Primarily describes physical loudness but can also metaphorically describe emotional or social intensity (e.g., 'a deafening silence' implies overwhelming tension or shock).
Word Breakdown
deafen
to make someone unable to hear
root verb-ing
result of the action or state
suffixEnglish Dictionary