dampen

verb

damp·​en ˈdam-pən How to pronounce dampen (audio)
dampened; dampening ˈdamp-niŋ How to pronounce dampen (audio)
ˈdam-pə-

transitive verb

1
: to check or diminish the activity or vigor of : deaden
the heat dampened our spirits
2
: to make damp
the shower barely dampened the ground
3

intransitive verb

1
: to become damp
2
: to become deadened or depressed
dampener
ˈdamp-nər How to pronounce dampen (audio)
ˈdam-pə-
noun

Examples of dampen in a Sentence

Dampen the spot with a wet cloth. The shower barely dampened the ground. We wouldn't let the bad weather dampen our excitement.
Recent Examples on the Web Growth in jobs and openings have slowed as high interest rates have dampened economic activity, Begley says. Paul Davidson, USA TODAY, 18 Mar. 2024 Sepsis is more common in people at extreme ages who get infections—think babies and older adults—and in people with conditions or treatments that dampen their immune system function, according to Prescott. Kayla Hui, Verywell Health, 10 Mar. 2024 In the meantime, dampening the spirits of the soft-landing hopefuls was that Fed Chair Jerome Powell put off talk of interest rate cuts. Paolo Confino, Fortune, 5 Mar. 2024 But Edward Andrade, the lead forecaster at the National Weather Service office in Amarillo, said the light rain would probably not be enough to dampen the fires. Anna Betts, New York Times, 29 Feb. 2024 Also, the courts will have acoustic mats around them to dampen the sound, and the lights will be off and the gates locked from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m. Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Feb. 2024 Modern life dampens crucial time-telling signals, blurs the boundaries of day and night, and confuses our internal clocks. TIME, 9 Mar. 2024 Khater said the rise in rates during February has dampened already tentative homebuyer momentum heading into the spring. Krystal Hur, CNN, 1 Mar. 2024 Some of the tech community fears regulation could dampen AI’s impact, but those concerns remain mostly conjecture at this point. Joe Harpaz, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dampen.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1547, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of dampen was in 1547

Dictionary Entries Near dampen

Cite this Entry

“Dampen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dampen. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

dampen

verb
damp·​en ˈdam-pən How to pronounce dampen (audio)
dampened; dampening ˈdamp-(ə-)niŋ How to pronounce dampen (audio)
1
: to check or lessen in activity or vigor : deaden
2
: to make or become damp
dampener noun

More from Merriam-Webster on dampen

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