What does deafening mean?

"Deafening" means extremely loud, so loud that it is difficult or impossible to hear anything else. It's often used to describe sounds that are overwhelming and can even be painful.

Here are some examples:

* "The concert was deafening, I couldn't hear myself think!"

* "The roar of the crowd was deafening, and the stadium shook with excitement."

* "The explosion was deafening, and it shattered the windows of nearby buildings."

The word "deafening" implies a level of noise that could potentially cause temporary or even permanent hearing damage if sustained for a long period of time.