Synonyms of dank

dank

adjective

ˈdaŋk 

as in damp

slightly or moderately wet

vegetables tended to go bad quickly in the dank cellar

Synonyms & Similar Words

• damp
• moist
• humid
• dampish
• dripping
• steeped
• wettish
• misty
• soaked
• soaking
• clammy
• muggy
• dewy
• saturated
• sodden
• tropical
• soggy
• sweltering
• sticky
• washed
• waterlogged
• drenched
• bathed
• sopping
• watered
• torrid
• summery
• sultry
• semimoist
• awash
• water-soaked
• saturate
• soppy
• doused
• soused

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• dry
• arid
• dusty
• waterless
• droughty
• sunbaked
• scorched
• desert
• dehydrated
• burned
• parched
• baked
• sere
• bone-dry
• seared
• watertight
• waterproof
• hyperarid
• water-resistant
• ultradry
• water-repellent

Synonym Chooser

How is the word dank distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of dank are damp, humid, moist, and wet. While all these words mean "covered or more or less soaked with liquid," dank implies a more distinctly disagreeable or unwholesome dampness.

a prisoner in a cold, dank cell

In what contexts can damp take the place of dank?

In some situations, the words damp and dank are roughly equivalent. However, damp implies a slight or moderate absorption and often connotes an unpleasant degree of moisture.

clothes will mildew if stored in a damp place

When is humid a more appropriate choice than dank?

The words humid and dank are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, humid applies to the presence of much water vapor in the air.

a hot, humid climate

Where would moist be a reasonable alternative to dank?

The words moist and dank can be used in similar contexts, but moist applies to what is slightly damp or not felt as dry.

treat the injury with moist heat

When can wet be used instead of dank?

The meanings of wet and dank largely overlap; however, wet usually implies saturation but may suggest a covering of a surface with water or something (such as paint) not yet dry.

slipped on the wet pavement

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of dank

Wearing a surgical mask to hold off the dank air, Reyes chose a bike and, before going to work on its components, performed the last rite for its former life. —Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2026

On the other side, the lusher Santa Cruz Mountains, a place of dank redwood forests, organic farming communes, and uppity vineyards, form a verdant curtain between the Valley and the ocean. —Literary Hub, 21 Nov. 2025

Winters here are dank and dark enough anyway. —Neil Sperry, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Oct. 2025

From the cool, dank blue-gray tones of Maria’s basement to the clever signage that adorns the schoolroom walls, the production mechanics work to pull viewers further into this high stakes character study. —Holly Jones, Variety, 26 Sep. 2025