dampen

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 2b

intransitive verb

1

: to become damp

2

: to become deadened or depressed

dampener

ˈdamp-nər 

ˈdam-pə-

noun

Synonyms of dampen

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

Examples of dampen in a Sentence

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

Microsoft joined OpenAI, Anthropic, and SpaceXAI on Monday in endorsing a more prudent approach, raising investor fears that less compute spend could dampen the investment boom driving a global rally. — Brendan Ruberry, semafor.com, 14 Sep. 2026

Penalties dampen the performance Nebraska produced a second consecutive 35-point half in the first two quarters, then lacked the same sharpness after halftime. — Mitch Sherman, New York Times, 13 Sep. 2026

Last year, economic activity from the holiday was dampened by large-scale student protests, Sethia said, and businesses that had hoped to recoup those losses this year bought goods on loan that were ultimately lost to the floods. — Stephanie Yang, CNN Money, 11 Sep. 2026

However, El Niño and marine heat waves can change the timing or force of the winds, potentially dampening coastal upwelling and reducing the availability of food for sea life along the coast. — Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 8 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

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