deafening

/ˈdefnɪŋ/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈdefnɪŋ/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈde-fə-niŋ ˈdef-niŋ/ (ame, mw)

deafening — adjective

  • deafeningpositive
  • more deafeningcomparative
  • most deafeningsuperlative

1. so loud that it makes it very hard or impossible for a person to hear anything e

1.形容詞B2
釋義

so loud that it makes it very hard or impossible for a person to hear anything else around them

例句

The crowd's roar was so deafening that Owen could not hear his own voice.

so deafening + that-clause showing consequence

Apinya had to cover her ears when the fire alarm rang with a deafening noise.

attributive: deafening + noise / sound / roar

同義詞
  • earsplitting

    more informal and dramatic, suggesting a painfully sharp loudness

  • thunderous

    suggests a deep, rumbling quality like thunder or heavy machinery

  • piercing

    emphasizes a high-pitched, sharp quality that cuts through other sounds

反義詞
  • quiet

    opposite end of the volume scale

  • faint

    describes a sound that is barely audible

文法句型

deafening + noun

be + deafening

so deafening + that-clause

用法筆記

Commonly used both before a noun (attributive) and after a linking verb (predicative). Because the word already expresses an extreme degree, it is rarely modified by adverbs such as 'very' or 'extremely.'

常見錯誤

❌The music was very deafening.
✅The music was deafening.
💡'Deafening' already means extremely loud, so adding 'very' is redundant.

2. describing a noticeable and awkward quiet that falls over a group when someone i

2.形容詞C1
釋義

describing a noticeable and awkward quiet that falls over a group when someone is expected to say something in reply but does not

例句

After Hari's question about the missing money, a deafening silence fell over the room.

fixed phrase: deafening silence

Roya expected cheers, but her announcement was met with a deafening lack of response.

pattern: deafening + lack of response

反義詞
  • vocal

    describes a situation where people are actively speaking or responding

  • responsive

    describes an audience or group that engages with questions or comments

文法句型

deafening + silence / quiet / lack of response

用法筆記

Nearly always modifies the nouns 'silence,' 'quiet,' or the phrase 'lack of response.' Using it with other nouns may confuse readers, as the literal sense will be assumed.

常見錯誤

❌The room was deafening when nobody spoke.
✅A deafening silence fell over the room when nobody spoke.
💡The figurative sense of 'deafening' modifies 'silence' or 'quiet,' not a place.