dampen

1 of 2

verb

damp·​en ˈdam-pən 

dampened; dampening ˈdamp-niŋ 

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

: damp sense 1c

intransitive verb

1

: to become damp

2

: to become deadened or depressed

dampener

ˈdamp-nər 

ˈdam-pə-

noun

dampener

2 of 2

noun

damp·​en·​er ˈdam-pə-nər 

plural -s

: one that dampens: such as

a

: a device for dampening cloth (as in a laundry)

b

: a worker that dampens articles in preparation for further processing:

(1)

: one that tempers shoe outsoles to facilitate cutting, shaping, and stitching

called also muller

(2)

: one that dampens textiles (as hosiery or cloth) for boarding or ironing

(3)

: one that softens hides in warm water

c

: a device for retarding the oscillations of a spring when a load is suddenly applied or removed

d

: any of the rollers on an offset printing press that convey water to nonprinting areas of the printing surface

Synonyms of dampen

Verb

• moisten
• damp
• wet
• rinse
• wash
• flush

Examples of dampen in a Sentence

Verb

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

Verb

None of that dampened the mood on Wall Street, which has been desperate to see new offerings after a historically slow period of IPOs dating back to late 2021. —Jordan Novet,lora Kolodny, CNBC, 13 June 2026

Some fans felt the additional security and restrictions to access Madison Square Garden dampened some of the spirit for the first Finals home game in 27 years. —Amina Kilpatrick, NBC news, 13 June 2026

The survey snapped three consecutive months of dampening consumer sentiment, recovering from an all-time low in May, data showed. —Max Zahn, ABC News, 12 June 2026

Wipe down using a microfiber cloth dampened with a solution of water and dish soap, working gently in one direction and controlling moisture to avoid dripping into the frame. —Caroline Lubinsky, Martha Stewart, 11 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Verb

1547, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for dampen

• rifampin

Kids Definition

dampen

verb

damp·​en ˈdam-pən 

dampened; dampening ˈdamp-(ə-)niŋ 

1

: to check or lessen in activity or vigor : deaden

2

: to make or become damp

dampener

ˈdamp-(ə-)nər 

noun