English · Phrasal verb Attested

numb out

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Sense 1

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

To make oneself numb, especially emotionally.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

làm cho mình mất cảm giác

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Where it’s used: Used American English

Examples

Because in childhood there is no opportunity to express this pain in a way that helps a survivor heal, s/he learns to numb out by necessity. Of course, different people numb out in different ways. The survivors I interviewed became alcoholics and drug addicts, some ate compulsively, […]

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

To block or alleviate (pain, etc.) by inducing numbness.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

làm giảm hoặc loại bỏ (đau, v.v.) bằng cách gây tê

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “numb out” mean?

To make oneself numb, especially emotionally.

Is “numb out” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.

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