Definition of "deaden" [dead•en]

• To render less intense, sensitive, or vigorous: a medication to deaden the pain; wall tiles that deaden the sound from the rehearsal studio. (verb-transitive)
• To make soundproof. (verb-transitive)
• To make less colorful or brilliant. (verb-transitive)
• To become dead. (verb-intransitive)
• To lose vigor, brilliance, or liveliness. (verb-intransitive)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "The air in the little chamber surrounding the mirror is compressed at will, so as to act like a cushion, and 'deaden' the movements of the mirror."
• "Jokes aside, this 100 minute thing made us realize that spreading the story over several months would kind of deaden the impact of the timeframe device, not to mention starting the war a month after #0."
• "The residents also say the structures will "deaden" the atmosphere of the Lower Town neighborhood, stunt economic development in the area and violate the city's Northeast Area Plan - a set of goals, land-use recommendations and objectives for the area surrounding the proposed site."