deadening

Noun · Adjective

Synonyms: stultification constipation impairment boring dull ho-hum irksome slow tedious tiresome wearisome

WordNet 3.0

Noun (1)

the act of making something futile and useless (as by routine)Synonyms: stultification constipation impairment

Adjective (1)

so lacking in interest as to cause mental weariness“a boring evening with uninteresting people”“the deadening effect of some routine tasks”“a dull play”“his competent but dull performance”“a ho-hum speaker who couldn't capture their attention”“what an irksome task the writing of long letters is — Edmund Burke”“tedious days on the train”“the tiresome chirping of a cricket — Mark Twain”“other people's dreams are dreadfully wearisome”Synonyms: boring dull ho-hum irksome slow tedious tiresome wearisome

Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)

deadening \dead"en*ing\ adj. [p. pr. of verb deaden[3].] Rendering less lively, intense, or vigorous; as, the deadening effect of some routine tasks. [WordNet 1.5]

2.So lacking in interest as to cause mental weariness; as, the deadening effect of some routine tasks.

Syn: boring, dreary, ho-hum, irksome, tedious, tiresome, wearisome. [WordNet 1.5]

Deaden \Dead"en\ (d[e^]d"'n), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Deadened (d[e^]d"'nd); p. pr. & vb. n. Deadening.] [From Dead; cf. AS. d?dan to kill, put to death. See Dead, a.]

1.To make as dead; to impair in vigor, force, activity, or sensation; to lessen the force or acuteness of; to blunt; as, to deaden the natural powers or feelings; to deaden a sound. [1913 Webster]

As harper lays his open palm Upon his harp, to deaden its vibrations.— Longfellow.[1913 Webster]

2.To lessen the velocity or momentum of; to retard; as, to deaden a ship's headway. [1913 Webster]

3.To make vapid or spiritless; as, to deaden wine. [1913 Webster]

4.To deprive of gloss or brilliancy; to obscure; as, to deaden gilding by a coat of size. [1913 Webster]

5.To render impervious to sound, as a wall or floor; to deafen. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

deadening \dead"en*ing\ n. The act of making something futile and useless (as by routine).

Syn: stultification, impairment. [WordNet 1.5]