dint

1 of 2

noun

ˈdint 

1

: force, power

2

: dent entry 2

3

archaic : blow, stroke

dint

2 of 2

verb

dinted; dinting; dints

transitive verb

1

: to make a dent in

2

: to impress or drive in with force

Phrases

by dint of

: by force of : because of

succeeded by dint of hard work

Synonyms

Noun

• cavity
• concavity
• dent
• depression
• hole
• hollow
• indentation
• indenture
• pit
• recess

Examples of dint in a Sentence

Noun

left a small dint in the car's fender

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

But for fetal-personhood advocates an embryo is already under U.S. jurisdiction and specifically entitled to the protections of its Constitution by dint of its location in a womb on U.S. soil. —Margaret Talbot, New Yorker, 14 Apr. 2025

And, by dint of fate (or good scheduling), this year’s game even features two classic Rose Bowl teams — Ohio State and Oregon, both of which are serious title contenders. —Melissa Kirsch, New York Times, 28 Dec. 2024

Verb

But as similar fights play out in battleground states, including Pennsylvania, Nevada, Arizona, and Michigan, repeated complaints about fraud could dint public faith in the electoral process. —Max Thornberry, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 3 July 2024

Then he was moved to the second unit, which seemed to dint his confidence. —Patrick Murray, Forbes, 23 May 2021

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English dynt; akin to Old Norse dyntr noise

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Verb

1597, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing dint

• by dint of

Rhymes for dint

• clint
• glint
• hint
• lint
• mint
• print
• quint
• quinte
• splint
• sprint
• squint
• stint

Kids Definition

dint

1 of 2 noun

ˈdint 

1

: the force or power of something

—used chiefly in the phrase by dint of

succeeded by dint of hard work

2

: dent entry 2 sense 1

dint

2 of 2 verb

: dent entry 1 sense 1