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 1c

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

Carefully remove the hot bowl from the microwave, and dampen a clean cloth in the water. —Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 23 Feb. 2026

But a day after the test ended, those spirits were dampened when ground teams discovered that not all was well with the towering Space Launch System rocket. —Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 23 Feb. 2026

Even the blaring horns of the cars of New Delhi and the chaos of the Summit weren’t enough to dampen the enthusiasm from big tech for India which continues to grow as a critical and attractive market for some of the world’s largest firms. —Arjun Kharpal, CNBC, 21 Feb. 2026

Next, slightly dampen your clean sponge. —Caroline Lubinsky, Martha Stewart, 21 Feb. 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