1
as in to moisten
to make or become slightly or moderately wet
dampen a paper towel with water and use it to clean up the mess
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2
as in to reduce
to reduce or weaken in strength or feeling
the oppressive heat dampened our spirits
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3
as in to undermine
to deprive of emotional or intellectual vitality
nothing could dampen their enthusiasm
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dampen
Phil Oh Despite the recent downpours in New York, our spirits aren’t dampened.
—
Irene Kim, Vogue, 3 Apr. 2025
However, the end of the pandemic and employers' calls for workers to return to the office have slowed down migration to the state, and high mortgage rates are dampening demand from potential buyers.
—Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2025
Such a spending pullback is also likely to dampen company sales, Dimon suggested, causing some firms to fail to make debt payments and default on loans.
—Paul Davidson, USA Today, 9 Apr. 2025
These tariffs are expected to disrupt global trade, increase costs for businesses, and further dampen consumer spending, adding pressure on corporate earnings and economic growth.
—Tony Zhang, CNBC, 9 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dampen
Irene Kim, Vogue, 3 Apr. 2025
However, the end of the pandemic and employers' calls for workers to return to the office have slowed down migration to the state, and high mortgage rates are dampening demand from potential buyers.
—Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Apr. 2025
Such a spending pullback is also likely to dampen company sales, Dimon suggested, causing some firms to fail to make debt payments and default on loans.
—Paul Davidson, USA Today, 9 Apr. 2025
These tariffs are expected to disrupt global trade, increase costs for businesses, and further dampen consumer spending, adding pressure on corporate earnings and economic growth.
—Tony Zhang, CNBC, 9 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dampen
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dampen
Verb
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Stir in the warm water until mixture is moistened.—
Katlyn Moncada,
Better Homes & Gardens,
6 Apr. 2025
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Each wipe comes well-moistened, and gently removed a full-face of product, from foundation to waterproof mascara.—
Stacia Datskovska,
WWD,
18 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The goal of this prescribed burn is to decrease the existing fire hazard and to prevent and reduce the impact of future fires in the area.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
21 Apr. 2025
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Traditional office leasing implies maintainable overheads, upkeep costs and long-term financial commitments; modular offices eliminate them and reduce construction costs by as much as 30%.—
Ascend Agency,
New York Daily News,
21 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Critics are concerned Trump's latest move could allow the administration to purge nonpartisan career officials and replace them with political loyalists, undermining the independence of the federal workforce.—
Nicholas Creel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Apr. 2025
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The site goes on to advance the theory that COVID-19 originated in a Wuhan lab and undermines Trump’s political rivals like Joe Biden and Andrew Cuomo.—
Brian Niemietz,
New York Daily News,
18 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Increase Air Circulation and Humidity Place a small fan near the seed starting area to keep the air moving and reduce damping off, a common fungal disease.—
Sheryl Geerts,
Better Homes & Gardens,
16 Apr. 2025
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According to the brand, apply to damp hair in a zig-zag motion, focusing on mid-lengths to ends.—
Conçetta Ciarlo,
Vogue,
28 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The previous six champions were all diminished the following season by either injuries or significant roster changes.—
Jay King,
New York Times,
14 Apr. 2025
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Lacy turned himself in to police on Jan. 12, but his NFL Draft prospects were significantly diminished by the wreck.—
Joseph Wilkinson,
New York Daily News,
13 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Agreeing to a pick swap with the Lynx weakened the value of the pick that the Sky traded away.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Apr. 2025
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One by one, the sectors defect, and, eventually, the leader may weaken and their government may fall.—
Julia Angwin,
New Yorker,
12 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Han recommends wetting a beauty sponge to add extra coverage to smaller areas of concern, including your hairline and around your nose.—
Jennifer Hussein,
Allure,
29 Mar. 2025
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Austin threatened McMahon with a toy gun, leading to a memorable moment at the expense of McMahon wetting himself.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
Newsweek,
22 Mar. 2025
Verb
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By studying the images, engineers can confirm and enhance the sonic-boom-deadening properties for the XB-1's airframe.—
David Szondy,
New Atlas,
3 Mar. 2025
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Lightweight glass, a reduction of sound-deadening materials, and the marginally lighter 6-speed manual gearbox help the 2025 Porsche 911 Carrera T Cabriolet weigh 3,505 pounds—the company's lightest manual open-roof variant.—
Michael Harley,
Forbes,
24 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dampen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dampen. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.
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