Synonyms
Examples of dent in a Sentence
Steven Levy, WIRED, 22 Nov. 2023
Smaller companies tend to issue more floating-rate debt than their larger peers: Their loan payments fluctuate with benchmark interest rates, so higher interest expenses are denting their bottom line.
—Hardika Singh, WSJ, 16 Nov. 2023
Despite his own caution, Wilson acknowledged that many investors were still betting on stocks despite economic headwinds denting confidence—which could feed into a rally at some point in the fourth quarter.
—Bychloe Taylor, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2023
Gloomy consumer spending has hit retailers like Macy’s and Nordstrom as high prices and borrowing rates squeeze budgets, denting demand for Levi’s denims bottoms, tops and cargo pants.
—Reuters, CNN, 5 Oct. 2023
Economists say the loan payments alone aren’t expected to dent the economy.
—Alicia Wallace, CNN, 11 Oct. 2023
What to Consider The wheels scuffed and dented with rough handling.
—Anna Popp, Travel + Leisure, 22 Sep. 2023
The mounting legal charges have also failed to dent Trump’s standing in the Republican presidential primary, with the former president now routinely beating his rivals by 30 to 50 points in polls.
—Jill Colvin, Anchorage Daily News, 28 Aug. 2023
Gutter guards can dent and lose some of their effectiveness, so the ladder should rest against the house instead.
—Kat De Naoum, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Aug. 2023
Sara Reardon, Scientific American, 6 Oct. 2023
The Lobos have been waiting for this game since Lamont Butler’s buzzer-beating, game-winning 3-pointer silenced a sellout crowd at the Pit last February and put a dent in their NCAA Tournament aspirations.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Nov. 2023
Interstate 75 to the west and 95 to the east were far from Santa Claus and put a dent in the town's plan to become an easy-access tourist attraction.
—Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 30 Oct. 2023
With that reality in mind, Dove, the brand known for their Self-Esteem Project and efforts to uplift young girls, teamed up with Nike, the brand synonymous with athletes and sport, to help put a dent in these statistics.
—Victoria Uwumarogie, Essence, 27 Oct. 2023
Put a Stop to Pimple Problems with These Stars
Acne can certainly put a dent in confidence, but these little hydrocolloid stars will take down inflammation.
—Claire Rutter, Rolling Stone, 25 Oct. 2023
The surge in premium costs comes as accelerating inflation is putting a dent in workers and employers' wallets and driving up medical device and drug costs, a report from the American Hospital Association shows.
—Elizabeth Napolitano, CBS News, 18 Oct. 2023
At one point or another, she’s made a dent in retail, gaming, books, television acting, makeup, and fragrance.
—Jane Thier, Fortune, 6 Oct. 2023
The point of a case is to protect your expensive, delicate device from scratches and dents.
—Joel Balsam, Travel + Leisure, 4 Oct. 2023
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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dent.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Verb
Middle English, short for indenten to make dents in, indent
Noun (2)
French, literally, tooth, from Latin dent-, dens
Combining form
Middle English denti-, from Latin, from dent-, dens tooth — more at tooth
Verb
14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1
Noun (1)
1565, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Noun (2)
1703, in the meaning defined above
Phrases Containing dent
Dictionary Entries Near dent
Cite this Entry
“Dent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dent. Accessed 3 Dec. 2023.
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Kids Definition
dent
1 of 2 verbdent
2 of 2 noun
More from Merriam-Webster on dent
Nglish: Translation of dent for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of dent for Arabic Speakers
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