verb · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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/ˈdɛfən/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -ɛfən
CMU ARPABET:D EH1 F AH0 N
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
verb
Meaning 1
To make deaf, either temporarily or permanently.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Examples
The head injury deafened her for life.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
verb
Meaning 2
To make soundproof.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Examples
to deafen a wall or a floor
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
verb
Meaning 3
To stun, as with noise.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
From deaf + -en (verbal suffix). Compare Middle English deven, deaven (“to make deaf”), Old English ādēafian (“to deafen”) and Old English ādȳfan, Dutch verdoven (“to stupefy, deafen”), German betäuben (“to stun, stupefy, deafen”).
Across languages
Translations
44 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Arabic:
أَصَمَّ
(ʔaṣamma)
— to make deaf
Armenian:
խլացնել
(xlacʻnel)
— to make deaf
Aromanian:
asurdzãscu
— to make deaf
Belarusian:
аглу́шваць
(ahlúšvacʹ)
— to make deaf
Belarusian:
глушы́ць
(hlušýcʹ)
— to make deaf
Belarusian:
аглушы́ць
(ahlušýcʹ)
— to make deaf
Breton:
bouzarañ
— to make deaf
Bulgarian:
оглуша́вам
(oglušávam)
— to make deaf
Bulgarian:
оглуша́
(oglušá)
— to make deaf
Catalan:
ensordir
— to make deaf
Dutch:
verdoven
— to make deaf
Dutch:
doof maken
— to make deaf
Finnish:
kuurouttaa
— to make deaf
French:
assourdir
— to make deaf
French:
rendre sourd
— to make deaf
Galician:
enxordar
— to make deaf
Galician:
axordar
— to make deaf
German:
taub machen
— to make deaf
Greek:
κουφαίνω
(koufaíno)
— to make deaf
Hungarian:
megsüketít
— to make deaf
Indonesian:
menulikan
— to make deaf
Irish:
bodhraigh
— to make deaf
Japanese:
聾する
(rōsuru)
— to make deaf
Korean:
귀를 먹먹하게 하다
(gwi-reul meongmeokhage hada)
— to make deaf
Macedonian:
оглуви
(ogluvi)
— to make deaf
Polish:
ogłuszać
— to make deaf
Polish:
ogłuszyć
— to make deaf
Portuguese:
ensurdecer
— to make deaf
Romanian:
asurzi
— to make deaf
Russian:
оглуша́ть
(oglušátʹ)
— to make deaf
Russian:
глуши́ть
(glušítʹ)
— to make deaf
Russian:
оглуши́ть
(oglušítʹ)
— to make deaf
Spanish:
ensordecer
— to make deaf
Ukrainian:
оглуша́ти
(ohlušáty)
— to make deaf
Ukrainian:
глуши́ти
(hlušýty)
— to make deaf
Ukrainian:
оглу́шувати
(ohlúšuvaty)
— to make deaf
Ukrainian:
оглуши́ти
(ohlušýty)
— to make deaf
Bulgarian:
заглуша́вам
(zaglušávam)
— to make soundproof
Bulgarian:
заглуша́
(zaglušá)
— to make soundproof
Bulgarian:
пра́вя звуконепроница́ем
(právja zvukonepronicáem)
— to make soundproof
Dutch:
geluiddicht maken
— to make soundproof
Finnish:
äänieristää
— to make soundproof
Russian:
заглуши́ть
(zaglušítʹ)
— to make soundproof
Russian:
приглуши́ть
(priglušítʹ)
— to make soundproof
