deaf
dehf
Deaf (adj) means Unable, or only partly able, to hear. Example: “Our teacher is deaf, so she uses sign language in class.”
adj
1
Unable, or only partly able, to hear.
"Our teacher is deaf, so she uses sign language in class."
"She has been deaf since birth."
"He wears hearing aids because he's partially deaf."
2
Refusing to listen to something; unwilling to be persuaded.
"He was deaf to all our advice and went ahead with the plan anyway."
"The manager stayed deaf to every request for a shorter working week."
"The council remained deaf to residents' complaints about the noise."
How to use deaf
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishUnable to hear, or (figuratively) refusing to pay attention to something.
Common mistake
"Deaf" describes the person, not the sound — you're deaf to criticism, not the criticism is deaf.
Common pairings
deaf to complaints
profoundly deaf
deaf community
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Word forms
- Plural
- deafs
- Third person singular
- deafs
- Past tense
- deafed
- Comparative
- deafer
- Superlative
- deafest
Fill the gap
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Our teacher is _____, so she uses sign language in class.
Etymology
From Old English deaf, from a Proto-Germanic root related to Ancient Greek typhlos, "blind" — the same broad idea of a blocked sense.
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for deaf
See all rhymes for deaf →Frequently asked questions
What does “deaf” mean?
The word “deaf” means unable, or only partly able, to hear. In plain terms, unable to hear, or (figuratively) refusing to pay attention to something.
How do you pronounce “deaf”?
“Deaf” is pronounced dehf (/diːf/ in IPA).
How do you use “deaf” in a sentence?
Here is “deaf” used in a sentence: “She has been deaf since birth.”
What is another word for “deaf”?
Words with a similar meaning to “deaf” include hard of hearing and hearing-impaired.
What part of speech is “deaf”?
“Deaf” is an adjective.
Where does the word “deaf” come from?
The word “deaf” comes from Ancient Greek. From Old English deaf, from a Proto-Germanic root related to Ancient Greek typhlos, "blind" — the same broad idea of a blocked sense.
Is “deaf” a common word?
“Deaf” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “deaf” have?
“Deaf” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: unable, or only partly able, to hear.
What is the difference between deaf and Deaf with a capital D?
Lowercase "deaf" describes the audiological condition of being unable, or only partly able, to hear. Capital-D "Deaf" signals identity with the Deaf community and its culture, typically among people who communicate primarily through sign language. Someone can be deaf without identifying as Deaf.
What is the difference between deaf and hard of hearing?
"Deaf" generally describes little or no functional hearing, while "hard of hearing" describes mild to moderate hearing loss where useful hearing remains. Individuals choose the term that best matches their experience, so it is polite to follow each person's own preference.
Is hearing-impaired an acceptable alternative to deaf?
Many deaf and hard-of-hearing people dislike "hearing-impaired" because it defines them by an impairment, and advocacy organizations now recommend saying "deaf" or "hard of hearing" instead. "Deaf" is not a rude word — it is the term the community itself most commonly uses.
Is the expression "fall on deaf ears" about hearing loss?
No. It uses the figurative sense of deaf — refusing to listen — so a request that "falls on deaf ears" is ignored by people who could hear it perfectly well. Likewise, to "turn a deaf ear" is to choose not to listen; some writers now avoid these idioms out of sensitivity.
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