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mind-numbing

mind-numbing

14 6.5
So boring that you stop paying attention
  • adjective
  • /maɪndˈnʌmɪŋ/
  • Informal
translation icon : aburridísimo
  • Others prove a mind-numbing exercise in groupthink.

Finally, engage in any mind numbing household chore.

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Examples

  • It's mind-numbing middle management, but I'm happy.

  • Instead of fixing the problem, we nurse old grudges, debate mind-numbing statistics, and argue about who hurt whom first, the most, and when.

    Academic text (2003)
  • A break from her work, then back to mind-numbing details.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • Oh, the waiting is just mind-numbing.

  • If you've ever done this, you know it can be a mind-numbing process.

    Blog text (12)
  • Arranging a vacation could be an extremely mind-numbing and somewhat tough task.

    Blog text (5)
  • Today's archaeologist lives in a world of mind-numbing detail, often important, frequently interesting.

    Academic text (2006)
  • The incessant phone calls, the non-stop television ads, the mind-numbing debates, the astonishing tons of junk mail... all over.

    Blog text (15)
  • The lecture was so mind-numbing that I struggled to stay awake.

  • After spending hours in a mind-numbing meeting, she felt mentally drained.

Synonyms

boring
vsmind-numbing
721 1.0

Not interesting and making you feel tired or impatient

is stronger, producing a deep loss of mental engagement rather than mild boredom
dull
vsmind-numbing
182 1.3

Not interesting or lively

is more extreme, causing the mind to switch off completely
tedious
vsmind-numbing
87 4.4

Boring and repetitive, making you feel mentally tired

is more intense, causing a deeper loss of interest and engagement
tiresome
vsmind-numbing
37 4.1

Making you bored, annoyed, or mentally tired

produces a deeper mental shutdown and complete loss of interest
uninteresting
vsmind-numbing
20 1.4

Not exciting and likely to make people bored

is more intense, actively causing mental disengagement and dullness
lifeless
vsmind-numbing
19 3.6

Without energy or interest and making people feel bored

is stronger, actually deadening mental interest rather than just lacking energy
monotonous
vsmind-numbing
14 5.3

Something that is boring because it has no variety

is stronger by creating complete mental disengagement, not just repetition
humdrum
vsmind-numbing
9 6.5

Not exciting and having little variety

is stronger, leading to actual loss of mental engagement rather than mild monotony
uninspiring
vsmind-numbing
7 3.5

Not interesting or exciting

is stronger by inducing actual mental numbness and lack of engagement
ho-hum
vsmind-numbing
5 8.1

Not interesting and making you feel bored

is more extreme, removing interest and attention entirely
unexciting
vsmind-numbing
3 3.2

Not interesting or exciting

is more intense, producing an actual mental shutdown and loss of interest
wearisome
vsmind-numbing
2 7.0

Makes you feel tired or bored because it is repetitive

is more extreme, provoking full mental disengagement instead of mere tiredness
deadening
vsmind-numbing
1 6.9

Making something feel very dull and boring

is about causing complete mental shutdown rather than just dulling interest
numbing
vsmind-numbing
1 4.2

Makes someone unable to feel physically or emotionally

causes extreme mental dullness and loss of engagement rather than physical numbness
as exciting as watching paint dry
vsmind-numbing
  • Informal
8.6

Very boring and hard to pay attention to

expresses greater intensity by implying total mental disengagement
unstimulating
vsmind-numbing
5.1

Does not interest, excite, or make people feel energetic

creates a deeper, more complete shutdown of attention and interest
unarousing
vsmind-numbing
5.6

Not causing excitement or interest

is more powerful, causing total loss of mental engagement rather than mere calmness
boresome
vsmind-numbing
  • Archaic
6.8

Causes people to lose interest because it is dull

is more severe, leading to loss of attention and mental involvement

Antonyms

1.0

Making people feel very interested and eager

1 3.9

To make someone feel more awake and interested

How Boring

mind-numbing
  • Informal
14 6.5
tedious
87 4.4
boring
721 1.0
dull
182 1.3

Surface Forms

mind-numbing positive

Morphology

mind-numbing = mind + numb (transparent) = mind + numb + ing

The compound combines 'mind' + 'numb' (with -ing) to mean 'causing the mind to become numb', which a typical learner can derive from the parts.

Etymology

Mind-numbing joins mind and numb, and 'numb' means 'without feeling'. So something mind-numbing makes your mind feel 'without feeling', which is why it describes something extremely boring or dull.