damp

noun

\ ˈdamp

Definition of damp

(Entry 1 of 3)

1 : a noxious gas — compare black damp, firedamp

2 : moisture:

a : humidity, dampness

b archaic : fog, mist

3a : discouragement, check

b archaic : depression, dejection

damp

verb

damped; damping; damps

Definition of damp (Entry 2 of 3)

transitive verb

1a : to affect with or as if with a noxious gas : choke

b : to diminish the activity or intensity of damping down the causes of inflation liquid damps out compass oscillations

c : to check the vibration or oscillation of (something, such as a string or a voltage)

2 : dampen

intransitive verb

: to diminish progressively in vibration or oscillation

damp

adjective

Definition of damp (Entry 3 of 3)

1a archaic : being confused, bewildered, or shocked : stupefied

b : depressed, dull

2 : slightly or moderately wet : moist a damp towel also : humid damp weather

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Choose the Right Synonym for damp

Adjective

wet, damp, dank, moist, humid mean covered or more or less soaked with liquid. 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 damp implies a slight or moderate absorption and often connotes an unpleasant degree of moisture. clothes will mildew if stored in a damp place dank implies a more distinctly disagreeable or unwholesome dampness. a prisoner in a cold, dank cell moist applies to what is slightly damp or not felt as dry. treat the injury with moist heat humid applies to the presence of much water vapor in the air. a hot, humid climate

Examples of damp in a Sentence

Noun

The boxes were left outside in the damp. the damp of the night

Verb

His hands were damped with sweat. refused to let the setbacks damp his drive for success

Adjective

Wipe up the mess with a damp cloth. Her forehead was damp with perspiration. My hair's still damp from the rain.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Tomorrow (Friday): Morning is probably gray and a little damp, but the real rain doesn’t get going until later. — Ian Livingston, Washington Post, "PM Update: A few showers or a storm possible this evening; much more rain to come Friday," 27 July 2017 The internet is a virtual catacomb, where the skeletons of human decency line the damp, mildewed walls. — Christine Flowers, Philly.com, "Disgraced ex-TV worker didn't deserve humiliation," 15 June 2017 This damp—a byproduct of industrial smog mixing with moisture from the nearby ponds—is omnipresent, and repeated mentions more than illustrate Louis’s disgust. — Samuel Metz, New Republic, "Édouard Louis’s Novel of the French Working Class," 8 June 2017

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

Yellen’s speech, which lacked clear rate cues, did little to calm the price swings and damped expectations of a rate hike this year. — Fortune, "The Gold Market Just Got Rocked by a Mysterious and Massive Trade," 25 Aug. 2017 BROOKS RIVER — A brown bear sow emerged from the alder fringes of the Naknek Lake shoreline, ambled to the water's edge and dropped in a huge blond lump onto pumice pebbles and damp black volcanic sand. — Clark Fair, Alaska Dispatch News, "Beyond the bears: Here’s a rundown of other Brooks Camp attractions in Katmai," 29 July 2017 Apply the mixture to damp, clean hair and also massage it onto your scalp. — Lori Keong, Marie Claire, "4 Amazing Homemade Hair Masks for Healthier Looking Strands," 19 July 2017 Babies need to be constantly damp for some reason, like the whale at the end of Free Willy. — Frank Kobola, Redbook, "9 Thoughts All Dads-to-Be Have About Baby Shopping," 10 Mar. 2017 A Milan judge on Saturday ordered Silvio Berlusconi to be tried on corruption charges, damping the former Italian premier’s hopes of running soon for office again after being sidelined by a tax-fraud conviction. — Frances D&, Orange County Register, "New Italian trial set for Berlusconi in a corruption case," 29 Jan. 2017 These masterful shocks have somewhat redefined the state of the art in damping. — Jim Resnick, Ars Technica, "Camaro goes nuclear: Chevrolet escalates the muscle car war," 18 July 2017 But thoughts of the team’s imminent departure did not seem to be souring the sweetness of the celebration, nor damping the blaring of horns or thinning the throngs downtown and along the edges of Lake Merritt on Thursday. — Erin Baldassari, The Mercury News, "Warriors parade: Hundreds of thousands party in downtown Oakland," 15 June 2017

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

In damp climates, organic mulches can harbor slugs and snails, which will munch on nearby plants; don't spread mulch near slug-susceptible plants. — The Editors Of Organic Life, Good Housekeeping, "What Every Gardener Should Know About Mulching," 28 Feb. 2017 Empty your Pringles can and wipe the inside clean with a damp cloth or paper towel. — Stephanie Shore Fisher, Good Housekeeping, "How to Turn a Pringles Can Into a Christmas Cookie Container," 29 Nov. 2018 Dot it over your face and blend with a brush or your clean fingers for a thicker, more opaque finish, or a damp Beautyblender for a subtler one. 2. — Chloe Metzger, Marie Claire, "The 5 Truly Excellent Beauty Products I'm Loving This Week," 24 Oct. 2018 In a video Hayek posted to Instagram on Friday, she's seen wearing a bathrobe while her daughter, Valentina, cuts her damp hair. — Marci Robin, Allure, "Salma Hayek Let Her 11-Year-Old Daughter Cut Her Hair," 22 Sep. 2018 Use standard indoors, use moisture resistant indoors in damp environments or outdoors under cover, and use waterproof in areas where the wood assembly is fully exposed to the weather. — Roy Berendsohn, Popular Mechanics, "5 Biggest Woodworking Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them)," 15 Jan. 2019 To get a curly look with foam rollers at home, wrap a one-inch section of conditioned damp hair around a rod at a time, then sit under a hood dryer until hair is completely dry. — SELF, "7 Ways to Look Flawless While Transitioning to Natural Hair," 30 Dec. 2018 The basement was damp, walls were cracked, and the kitchen appeared to date from the 1970s. — Ruth Bloomfield, WSJ, "Behind the Scenes of a London Townhouse’s Modern Makeover," 15 Aug. 2018 Although the cars sent up rooster tails of spray during the qualifying session, by the time the race started in the mid-afternoon the track was merely damp. — Jonathan M. Gitlin, Ars Technica, "Formula E ends its season—and an era—in Brooklyn," 18 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'damp.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.