damper

noun

damp·​er ˈdam-pər 

1

: a dulling or deadening influence

put a damper on the celebration

2

: a device that damps: such as

a

: a valve or plate (as in the flue of a furnace) for regulating the draft

b

: a small felted block to stop the vibration of a piano string

c

chiefly British : shock absorber

3

Australia : a simple usually unleavened bread of a kind made originally in the Australian bush

Synonyms of damper

• mute

Examples of damper in a Sentence

the pianist used the damper pedal on the piano for the quiet passages

Recent Examples on the Web

With its adaptive dampers and massive brakes, the M5 moves swiftly and with confidence. —James Raia, Mercury News, 15 Mar. 2026

By the early 1900s, player pianos had evolved to more fully reproduce a human performance, including subtle dynamics like tempo changes and the introduction of a damper pedal. —Adam Ozimek, The Atlantic, 11 Mar. 2026

Second, severe winter storms likely put a big damper on hiring in weather-sensitive industries like construction and leisure and hospitality. —Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 6 Mar. 2026

Other mechanical features include two-axle air suspension with Alpina-specific damper and kinematic tuning, along with electromechanical anti-roll bars and stiffer rear axle bushings. —Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 6 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1707, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing damper

• put a damper on

Rhymes for damper

• camper
• hamper
• pamper
• scamper
• stamper
• tamper

Kids Definition

damper

noun

damp·​er ˈdam-pər 

: one that damps : as

a

: a valve or plate (as in the flue of a furnace) for regulating the draft

b

: a device (as one of the felt-covered pieces of wood in a piano) used to deaden vibrations or oscillations

c

: a dulling or deadening influence

put a damper on the celebration