Deafener

A 'deafener' is something or someone that causes or induces deafness or significantly impairs hearing. This can range from intense, sudden noises like explosions, to chronic exposure to loud sounds in a workplace or environment. The term encompasses both physical agents, like machinery or certain materials, and abstract concepts like ideologies that actively shut out dissenting voices or perspectives, metaphorically 'deafening' to opposing views. The impact of a deafener can vary in severity, from temporary hearing loss to permanent, complete auditory impairment.

Deafener meaning with examples

• The factory's outdated machinery was a constant deafener, leaving workers with tinnitus and progressive hearing loss over time. Management's negligence was criminal.
• The explosion was an instantaneous deafener, rendering the soldier temporarily unable to hear anything. He spent weeks recovering from the shock.
• The concert's massive speakers unleashed a deafener, creating a wall of sound that left many attendees with ringing ears for days after the event.
• His constant, dismissive rebuttals were a social deafener, ensuring that nobody else's ideas got heard in any discussion.