i Register
In some senses, dumbness is marked as dated, offensive, informal. Watch for register when choosing this word.
dumbness
noun 4
Collocations
4ADJ.
deaf-mute
VERB + DUMBNESS
equate
DUMBNESS + NOUN
gesture
PREP.
in, with
Definitions
noun
1
The state of being mute: that is, of not communicating vocally, whether from selective mutism (refusal to speak) or from an inability to speak.
He was a deaf-mute. His dumbness did not seem to matter when we were boys.
2
Muteness, silence; abstention from speech.
There was speech in their dumbness.
3
Show or gesture without words; pantomime; dumb-show.
To the dumbness of the gesture one might interpret.
4
The quality of being stupid or foolish.
Thesaurus
Synonyms
noun — the quality of being mentally slow and limited
- denseness
- slow-wittedness
Antonyms
Idioms & Phrases
Example Bank
401
He was a deaf-mute. His dumbness did not seem to matter when we were boys.
Wiktionary02
There was speech in their dumbness.
Wiktionary03
To the dumbness of the gesture one might interpret.
Wiktionary04
My culture does not equate sexuality with dumbness.
Tatoeba · #10073736Usage Notes
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