1.  deaden(v = verb.change) damp, dampen - make vague or obscure or make (an image) less visible; "muffle the message"
is one way to break, damp, dampen, soften, weaken
Sample sentences: Somebody ----s something; Something ----s something

2.  deaden(v = verb.contact) girdle - cut a girdle around so as to kill by interrupting the circulation of water and nutrients; "girdle the plant"
is one way to incise
Sample sentences: Somebody ----s something

3.  deaden(v = verb.change) - make vapid or deprive of spirit; "deadened wine"
is one way to alter, change, modify
Sample sentences: Something ----s something

4.  deaden(v = verb.change) - lessen the momentum or velocity of; "deaden a ship's headway"
is one way to retard
Sample sentences: Somebody ----s something; Something ----s something

5.  deaden(v = verb.change) - become lifeless, less lively, intense, or active; lose life, force, or vigor;
is one way to change
Derived form noun deadening₁
Sample sentences: Something ----s

6.  deaden(v = verb.change) blunt - make less lively, intense, or vigorous; impair in vigor, force, activity, or sensation; "Terror blunted her feelings"; "deaden a sound"
is one way to alter, change, modify
Antonym: enliven
Derived form noun deadening₁
Sample sentences: Somebody ----s something; Something ----s something

7.  deaden(v = verb.change) - convert (metallic mercury) into a grey powder consisting of minute globules, as by shaking with chalk or fatty oil;
is one way to convert
Sample sentences: Somebody ----s something

deaden, v.
1 tr. & intr. deprive of or lose vitality, force, brightness, sound, feeling, etc.
2 tr. (foll. by to) make insensitive.

Derivative:
deadener n.

VB  be impotent, not have a leg to stand on, vouloir rompre l'anguille au genou, vouloir prendre la lune avec les dents, collapse, faint, swoon, fall into a swoon, drop, go by the board, go by the wayside, go up in smoke, end in smoke, render powerless, deprive of power, disable, disenable, disarm, incapacitate, disqualify, unfit, invalidate, deaden, cramp, tie the hands, double up, prostrate, paralyze, muzzle, cripple, becripple, maim, lame, hamstring, draw the teeth of, throttle, strangle, garrotte, garrote, ratten, silence, sprain, clip the wings of, put hors de combat, spike the guns, take the wind out of one's sails, scotch the snake, put a spoke in one's wheel, break the neck, break the back, unhinge, unfit, put out of gear, unman, unnerve, enervate, emasculate, castrate, geld, alter, neuter, sterilize, fix, shatter, exhaust, weaken.

VB  be insensible, have a rhinoceros hide, show insensibility, not mind, not care, not be affected by, have no desire for, have no interest in, feel no interest in, take no interest in, nil admirari, not care a straw for, disregard, set at naught, turn a deaf ear to, vegetate, render insensible, render callous, blunt, obtund, numb, benumb, paralyze, deaden, hebetate, stun, stupefy, brutify, brutalize, chloroform, anaesthetize, put under, assify, inure, harden the heart, steel, caseharden, sear.

VB  be moderate, keep within bounds, keep within compass, sober down, settle down, keep the peace, remit, relent, take in sail, moderate, soften, mitigate, temper, accoy, attemper, contemper, mollify, lenify, dulcify, dull, take off the edge, blunt, obtund, sheathe, subdue, chasten, sober down, tone down, smooth down, weaken, lessen, check palliate, tranquilize, pacify, assuage, appease, swag, lull, soothe, compose, still, calm, calm down, cool, quiet, hush, quell, sober, pacify, tame, damp, lay, allay, rebate, slacken, smooth, alleviate, rock to sleep, deaden, smooth, throw cold water on, throw a wet blanket over, turn off, slake, curb, tame, smooth over, pour oil on the waves, pour oil on the troubled waters, pour balm into, mattre de l'eau dans son vin, go out like a lamb, roar you as gently as any sucking dove.