dent

1 of 5

verb

dented; denting; dents

transitive verb

1
: to make a dent in
dent a car
2
: to have a weakening effect on

intransitive verb

: to form a dent by sinking inward : become dented

dent

2 of 5

noun (1)

1
: a depression or hollow made by a blow or by pressure
2
: an appreciable impression or effect often made against resistance
hasn't made a dent in the problem
specifically : a weakening or lessening effect
costs that have made a dent in the budget

dent

3 of 5

noun (2)

dent

4 of 5

abbreviation

dent-

5 of 5

combining form

variants or denti- or dento-
: tooth : teeth
dentiform

Examples of dent in a Sentence

Verb I'm afraid I dented the wall pretty badly when I was hammering in that nail. Many of the cans were badly dented. Some types of metal dent more easily than others. The team's confidence has been dented by a recent series of losses.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Image Still, the falling-out hasn’t dented Mr. Peltz’s friendship with Mr. Perlmutter. Lauren Hirsch, New York Times, 16 Mar. 2024 The glasses need a specific filter and can't be scratched or dented. Binghui Huang, The Indianapolis Star, 13 Mar. 2024 Trump’s criminal cases don’t appear to have dented his support among the Republican base. Jonathan Shorman, Kansas City Star, 2 Mar. 2024 One such statue, which depicts Confederate President Jefferson Davis, is on display at a local history museum dented and covered in graffiti, the same condition as when it was toppled. Roberto Roldan, NPR, 1 Mar. 2024 So far, those legal travails haven't dented the former president's political support. Susan Page, USA TODAY, 1 Jan. 2024 Having burst onto the boxing scene with a 22-fight unbeaten streak, a defeat to Andy Ruiz Jr. and two to Usyk have dented his reputation as a serious title contender. Ben Morse, CNN, 8 Mar. 2024 Profits at L'Oreal and Shiseido have also been dented due to weak consumer spending and greater local competition. Gemma A. Williams, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2024 He was relieved of his duties after Marseille lost to 10-man Brest 1-0 in the French league last week, a result that dented the club’s hopes of qualifying for a European competition next season. Samuel Petrequin, USA TODAY, 20 Feb. 2024
Noun
But with the fight for civil rights in full bloom, Dr. Massey took a faculty offer at Urbana-Champaign, drawn by the prospect of making a dent in theoretical condensed matter — the university was a leading center for research — and making a difference in the lives of Black students. Katrina Miller, New York Times, 19 Mar. 2024 The second half was even, but the Sea Lions (18-13) couldn’t make a dent in the advantage the Cougars had taken midway through the first half. U-T Staff, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Mar. 2024 Yet the 90-day initiative barely made a dent in the vacancy totals. Todd Wallack, ProPublica, 7 Mar. 2024 The Lakers had pulled to within 12 points and were making a dent in their deficit. Broderick Turner, Los Angeles Times, 7 Mar. 2024 The Republican candidates hoping to make a dent in a district that voted 86% for Biden in 2020 were driving instructor Ned Nuerge and engineer Stephen Slauson, whose past electoral campaigns include single-digit-percentage voter support in challenges of Rep. Lee. Shomik Mukherjee, The Mercury News, 6 Mar. 2024 Bed frames made of wood tend to be sturdier but may be prone to dents or scuffs. Erica Reagle, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Feb. 2024 Specifically, a ricocheted pass off a helmet, resulting in a big completion to Brandon Aiyuk, put a dent into any momentum for the Lions. Maddie Hartley, Kansas City Star, 9 Feb. 2024 Many were hopeful that would make a dent in the plastic pollution crisis, one canvas tote bag at a time. Gerald Markowitz, The Mercury News, 27 Feb. 2024

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

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, short for indenten to make dents in, indent

Noun (2)

French, literally, tooth, from Latin dent-, dens

Combining form

Middle English denti-, from Latin, from dent-, dens tooth — more at tooth

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun (1)

1565, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1703, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of dent was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near dent

Cite this Entry

“Dent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dent. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

dent

1 of 2 verb
1
: to make a dent in or on
2
: to become marked by a dent

dent

2 of 2 noun
1
: a notch or hollow made by a blow or by pressure
2
a
: an impression or effect made usually against resistance
that purchase made a big dent in our savings
b
: noticeable progress
made a dent in our pile of work

Medical Definition

dent

abbreviation

Biographical Definition

Dent

biographical name

Joseph Mal*a*by ˈma-lə-bē How to pronounce Dent (audio) 1849–1926 English publisher

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