dimmer

noun

dim·​mer ˈdi-mər How to pronounce dimmer (audio)
1
: a device for regulating the intensity of an electric lighting unit
2

Examples of dimmer in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Easily control the lighting with a footswitch and use the floor dimmer to play with the brightness levels, depending on your mood and activity. Mariah Thomas, Good Housekeeping, 8 Sep. 2023 Be aware of signs that your battery is failing, such as the engine cranking slower than usual, the engine or battery light illuminating on your dashboard and the headlights or interior lights being dimmer than normal. Lana Ferguson, Dallas News, 30 Aug. 2023 Cymbal suggests installing dimmers and LED bulbs in the 3,000K range to ensure you’re cast in the most flattering glow while dressing in the mirror. Laura Fenton, Washington Post, 15 Aug. 2023 The former is smaller but brighter, while the latter appears larger yet dimmer. Stephanie Vermillion, Travel + Leisure, 1 Aug. 2023 Taking a dimmer view, some critics view the practice as employers effectively offloading their responsibility to pay employees a living wage onto consumers. Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 25 May 2023 The sleep mode actually works great, as the fan's display gets dimmer and the fan kicks back to become more quieter. John Thompson, Men's Health, 16 June 2023 That’s been a consistent signal of recession because investors move money into safer longer-term assets – pushing their prices up and their yields down – when the economic outlook grows dimmer. Paul Davidson, USA TODAY, 9 June 2023 There are sections of the game in dark and enclosed areas with much dimmer lighting than in the original, invoking feelings of fear and dread. George Yang, Variety, 17 Mar. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dimmer.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1896, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of dimmer was circa 1896

Dictionary Entries Near dimmer

Cite this Entry

“Dimmer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dimmer. Accessed 29 Sep. 2023.

Kids Definition

dimmer

noun
dim·​mer ˈdim-ər How to pronounce dimmer (audio)
1
: a device for controlling the amount of light from an electric lighting unit (as the headlights of an automobile or the lights of a room)
2

More from Merriam-Webster on dimmer

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