numb

/nʌm/

//nʌm// adj

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"numb" is a 4-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“numb” has 6 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #14,373. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#14,373
frequency rank, English
1,534
“N” headwords
6
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Physically unable to feel, not having the power of sensation.

Corpus desk

Index EN-numb · numb · English

numb · rank #14,373 · 6 variants · 20 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #14,373
  • LEN-MID 4 letters
  • VOW-1 1 vowel
  • CONFUS-HIGH 20 pairs
  • VAR-MID 6 variants
  • BOOK-MID 1,534
  • PHOTO-FINISH NAS

Nearest frequency peer: NAS (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “numb”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “numb” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

numb vs nut
50% similar
numb vs nun
50% similar
numb vs Nur
25% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for numb
PropertyValue
Headwordnumb
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/nʌm/
Letters4
Frequency rank#14,373
Misspellings tracked6
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “numb”

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).numblands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Same rarity band neighbours include “NAS” (#14,372), “omitted” (#14,374), “overlook” (#14,376). Among 1,534 “N” headwords, “numb” is #14,373. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 6 spelling variants around numb (IPA /nʌm/), anadjective. Corpus frequency is #14,373 among 1,534 “N” headwords. Wiktionary lists 4 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 6 likely wrong-spelling variants for numb, with forms such as "nmub", "nnumb", and "nubm". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "nut", "nun", "Nur", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: From the past participle of nim (“to take”). Compare German benommen (“dazed, numb”) and Old Norse numinn. The final ⟨b⟩ is a later addition; it was never pronounced, and did not appear in the original word. The correct English form is numb, spelled N-U-M-B.

Definition

  1. 1
    Physically unable to feel, not having the power of sensation.
  2. 2
    Emotionally unable to feel or respond in a normal way.
  3. 3
    Dumb or stupid.
  4. 4
    Causing numbness.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how numb appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. fingers numb with cold
  2. legs numb from kneeling

Etymology

From the past participle of nim (“to take”). Compare German benommen (“dazed, numb”) and Old Norse numinn. The final ⟨b⟩ is a later addition; it was never pronounced, and did not appear in the original word.

Antonyms

sensiblesensitive

This word in other languages

entumecido(Español)gourd(Français)taub(Deutsch)dormente(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • nmub
  • nnumb
  • nubm
  • numbb
  • nummb
  • unmb

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of numb - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

nmub2nnumb1nubm2numbb1nummb1unmb2
Edit distance from "numb"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "numb"?
"numb" is spelled N-U-M-B. The IPA pronunciation is /nʌm/.
What does "numb" mean?
As an adjective, "numb" means: Physically unable to feel, not having the power of sensation.
What words are commonly confused with "numb"?
"numb" is commonly confused with "nut", "nun", "Nur". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "numb"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "numb" is /nʌm/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "numb"?
From the past participle of nim (“to take”). Compare German benommen (“dazed, numb”) and Old Norse numinn. The final ⟨b⟩ is a later addition; it was never pronounced, and did not appear in the original word. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "numb", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 4 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

pawn#14,379Mali#14,362lite#14,353reap#14,394

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (6 here; floor ≥5).

quota6 variantssalsa6 variantstidy6 variantsweave6 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list