Deafen

Pronunciation: /ˈdɛfən/

Definitions of deafen

verb to make someone unable to hear by making a loud noise

Example Sentences

A1 The loud music could deafen my ears.

A2 The sound of the fireworks deafened the crowd.

B1 The construction noise deafened the neighborhood for days.

B2 The explosion was so loud that it deafened everyone in the vicinity.

C1 The constant exposure to loud noises eventually deafened him.

C2 The blast from the bomb was so powerful that it deafened many people in the area.

Examples of deafen in a Sentence

formal The loud noise from the construction site could potentially deafen nearby residents.

informal Turn down the music, it's going to deafen us!

slang That concert was so loud, it almost deafened me.

figurative The shocking news seemed to deafen her momentarily.

Grammatical Forms of deafen

• past tense: deafened
• plural: deafens
• comparative: more deafening
• superlative: most deafening
• present tense: deafens
• future tense: will deafen
• perfect tense: has deafened
• continuous tense: is deafening
• singular: deafens
• positive degree: deaf
• infinitive: deafen
• gerund: deafening
• participle: deafened

Origin and Evolution of deafen

First Known Use: 1250 year

Language of Origin: Old English

Story behind the word: The word 'deafen' originated from Middle English 'defenen', which came from Old English 'dēafnian' meaning to make deaf.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'deafen' has retained its original meaning of causing someone to become deaf, but it has also been used metaphorically to describe overwhelming or intense sounds that drown out all other noises.