1
: a depression or hollow made by a blow or by pressure
2
: an appreciable impression or effect often made against resistance
hasn't made a dent in the problem
specifically
: a weakening or lessening effect
costs that have made a dent in the budget
Examples of dent in a Sentence
Verb
I'm afraid I dented the wall pretty badly when I was hammering in that nail.
Many of the cans were badly dented.
Some types of metal dent more easily than others.
The team's confidence has been dented by a recent series of losses.
Noun (1)
there was a big dent in the car's hood where something had hit it
a little belt-tightening would at least make a small dent in our credit-card debt
Recent Examples on the Web
Bryan Mena, CNN Money, 23 Nov. 2025
The Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 Pro offers impressive noise cancellation without denting the old bank account.
—PC Magazine, 20 Nov. 2025
Philip Elliott, Time, 24 Nov. 2025
The 20-inch London carry-on has a scratch- and dent-resistant textured ABS shell and clever bumper patches on the corners.
—Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 23 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dent
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Verb
The government shutdown likely dented GDP in the current quarter that stretches from October through December, but the US economy is widely expected to recoup most of those losses early next year.
—Bryan Mena, CNN Money, 23 Nov. 2025
The Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 Pro offers impressive noise cancellation without denting the old bank account.
—PC Magazine, 20 Nov. 2025
Noun
After a quick breakfast at the posh Hotel Washington, most loaded up for a busy day lobbying lawmakers to put a bigger dent in their bank accounts.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 24 Nov. 2025
The 20-inch London carry-on has a scratch- and dent-resistant textured ABS shell and clever bumper patches on the corners.
—Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 23 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dent
Cite this Entry
“Dent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dent. Accessed 29 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
dent
1 of 2 verb1
: to make a dent in or on
2
: to become marked by a dent
dent
2 of 2 noun1
: a notch or hollow made by a blow or by pressure
2
a
: an impression or effect made usually against resistance
that purchase made a big dent in our savings
b
: noticeable progress
made a dent in our pile of work
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