1. (v.) To make as dead; to impair in vigor, force, activity, or sensation; to lessen the force or acuteness of; to blunt; as, to deaden the natural powers or feelings; to deaden a sound.

2. (v.) To lessen the velocity or momentum of; to retard; as, to deaden a ship's headway.

3. (v.) To make vapid or spiritless; as, to deaden wine.

4. (v.) To deprive of gloss or brilliancy; to obscure; as, to deaden gilding by a coat of size.

KO abate absorb the shock allay alleviate anesthetize appease assuage attemper attenuate baffle bank the fire bedaze benumb besot blunt break the fall chasten chloroform coldcock constrain control cramp cripple cushion damp dampen de-emphasize deaden the pain deafen debilitate desensitize devitalize diminish dope downplay drug dull ease ease matters enervate enfeeble etherize eviscerate exhaust extenuate foment freeze give relief gruel kayo keep within bounds knock out knock senseless knock stiff knock unconscious lay lay low lay out lenify lessen lighten lull mat mitigate moderate modulate mollify muffle mull mute narcotize neutralize numb obtund offset pad palliate palsy paralyze play down poultice pour balm into pour oil on put to sleep rattle reduce reduce the temperature relieve restrain salve sap shake shake up show consideration show mercy show pity slacken slake slow down smother sober sober down soft-pedal soften soften the blow soften up soothe stifle stop stun stupe stupefy subdue suppress tame temper tone down tune down unbrace undermine underplay unman unnerve unstrengthen unstring weaken