1
: having total or partial hearing loss
deaf people
the deaf community
also
: of or relating to people who have total or partial hearing loss
deaf culture
deaf education
2
: unwilling to hear or listen : not to be persuaded
… when men are determined on mutiny, they are deaf to reason.—
Washington Irving
Washington IrvingExamples of deaf in a Sentence
He has been deaf since birth.
She's completely deaf in her right ear.
He's going a little deaf so you'll have to speak up.
Recent Examples on the Web
Devil’s Play follows Iva (Ivanova), a troubled teenager trapped between an abusive stepfather (Stretch) and a distant, deaf mother (Tenekedjieva).
—The Deadline Team, Deadline, 17 Oct. 2025
Ghost, who will turn two on October 27, was born blind and deaf due to bad breeding practices, which his owners are working to raise awareness of.
—Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Oct. 2025
On the morning of the count, volunteers encountered a small group of deaf individuals that had already built rapport with the River Park Foundation team.
—Tyler Renner, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Oct. 2025
Born in Newburgh, New York, on March 25, 1951, Burch began her professional life in Los Angeles as a deaf education teacher.
—Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 13 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for deaf
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
The Deadline Team, Deadline, 17 Oct. 2025
Ghost, who will turn two on October 27, was born blind and deaf due to bad breeding practices, which his owners are working to raise awareness of.
—Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Oct. 2025
On the morning of the count, volunteers encountered a small group of deaf individuals that had already built rapport with the River Park Foundation team.
—Tyler Renner, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Oct. 2025
Born in Newburgh, New York, on March 25, 1951, Burch began her professional life in Los Angeles as a deaf education teacher.
—Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 13 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for deaf
Cite this Entry
“Deaf.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deaf. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
deaf
adjective1
: wholly or partly unable to hear
2
: unwilling to hear or listen
deaf to all suggestions
deafness
noun
Medical Definition
deaf
adjective
: having total or partial hearing loss
deaf adults
also
: of or relating to people who have total or partial hearing loss
deaf education
deafness
noun
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share