Deafening describes a sound so loud that it feels like it could make you unable to hear.
It comes from the verb “deafen,” based on “deaf,” from Old English “dēaf,” meaning “unable to hear.” The -en and -ing endings turn it into something that causes or seems to cause deafness.
We use “deafening” even when no one actually goes deaf—it’s exaggeration built into the word. That’s a clue that English often uses physical extremes to describe intense feelings or experiences.
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