NUMBNESS

Pronunciation (US): (GB):

I. (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The trait of lacking enthusiasm for or interest in things generally

Synonyms:

apathy; indifference; numbness; spiritlessness

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Hypernyms ("numbness" is a kind of...):

passiveness; passivity (the trait of remaining inactive; a lack of initiative)

Derivation:

numb ((followed by 'to') not showing human feeling or sensitivity; unresponsive)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Partial or total lack of sensation in a part of the body; a symptom of nerve damage or dysfunction

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Hypernyms ("numbness" is a kind of...):

symptom ((medicine) any sensation or change in bodily function that is experienced by a patient and is associated with a particular disease)

Derivation:

numb (lacking sensation)

Credits

Context examples:

A nerve problem that causes pain, numbness, tingling, swelling, or muscle weakness in different parts of the body.

(Neuropathy, NCI Dictionary)

It is also being studied in the treatment of hand-foot syndrome (a condition marked by pain, swelling, numbness, tingling, or redness of the hands or feet) in patients receiving chemotherapy.

(Lactic acid, NCI Dictionary)

A substance being studied in the treatment of peripheral neuropathy (pain, numbness, tingling, burning, or weakness in the hands or feet) caused by chemotherapy.

(Baclofen/amitriptyline/ketamine gel, NCI Dictionary)

A drug used to treat depression and peripheral neuropathy (pain, numbness, tingling, burning, or weakness in the hands or feet) that can occur with diabetes.

(Cymbalta, NCI Dictionary)

The tumor can also eventually cause numbness or paralysis of the face.

(Acoustic Neuroma, NIH: National Institute of Deafness and Communication Disorders)

Clinical signs usually include tingling or numbness with onset in middle-age.

(Acroparesthesia Syndrome, NCI Thesaurus)

A disorder of the central nervous system marked by weakness, numbness, a loss of muscle coordination, and problems with vision, speech, and bladder control.

(Multiple Sclerosis, NCI Dictionary)

He walked up and down, batting his head savagely with his fists, but he could not conquer the numbness of sleep.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

The disease’s widely varying symptoms can include tingling or numbness in extremities, motor and speech difficulties, weakness, fatigue, chronic pain, vision loss, and depression.

(Immune System Reset May Halt Multiple Sclerosis Progression, NIH)

Skin symptoms may include a blue or black color, pain, numbness, and sores that produce a foul-smelling discharge.