dim

1 of 4

adjective

dimmer; dimmest
1
a
: emitting or having a limited or insufficient amount of light
dim stars
a dim lamp
a dim hallway
b
: dull, lusterless
dim colors
c
: lacking pronounced, clear-cut, or vigorous quality or character
a dim echo of the past
2
a
: seen indistinctly
a dim outline
b
: perceived by the senses or mind indistinctly or weakly : faint
had only a dim notion of what was going on
c
: having little prospect of favorable result or outcome
a dim future
d
: characterized by an unfavorable, skeptical, or pessimistic attitude
usually used in the phrase take a dim view of
takes a dim view of human nature
3
: dim-witted
too dim to understand the joke
4
: not perceiving clearly and distinctly
dim eyes
dimly adverb
dimmable adjective
dimness noun

dim

2 of 4

verb

dimmed; dimming

transitive verb

1
: to reduce the light from
dim the headlights
2
: to make dim or lusterless
dimmed their hopes of an early settlement

intransitive verb

: to become dim
the lights dimmed
their beauty had dimmed

dim

3 of 4

noun

1
automotive vehicles : low beam
2
archaic : dusk, dimness

dim

4 of 4

abbreviation

1
dimension
2
diminished
3
diminuendo
4
diminutive

Examples of dim in a Sentence

Adjective Just the dim outline of the building could be seen through the fog. I have a dim memory of your last visit. Verb The latest setback has dimmed hopes of an early settlement. Hopes of an early settlement have dimmed.
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
As recounted in droll, sardonic voice-over by envious B-teamer Lisa (Marla Sokoloff, who serves the Keyser Soze narration role with verve and bitchiness), their leader — the sweet, slightly dim Diane — was kicked out of her home by her parents after getting pregnant. Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 9 Aug. 2024 Local dimming monitors aim to fix this problem by using smaller clusters of LED backlights that can be turned on or dimmed separately, so bright parts of an image can be lit up while darker parts stay dim. Eric Ravenscraft, WIRED, 3 Aug. 2024
Verb
Wear bright colors, especially at sunrise or sunset when the light is dimming. Cameron Knight, The Enquirer, 13 Sep. 2024 Harris and Trump did not shake hands at the end of the debate, instead walking off stage as the lights dimmed. Lawrence Yee, Peoplemag, 11 Sep. 2024
Noun
While some golfers only donned solar glasses at the moment of maximum obscurity, others tracked many of their shots through the dim of their commemorative eyewear. Jack Bantock, CNN, 9 Apr. 2024 Middleton hasn’t been photographed in public—with the exception of two dim (and disputed) paparazzi shots of her in cars—since December. Hillary Kelly, The Atlantic, 14 Mar. 2024 See all Example Sentences for dim 

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

Word History

Etymology

Adjective, Verb, and Noun

Middle English, from Old English dimm; akin to Old High German timber dark

First Known Use

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 2

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of dim was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near dim

Cite this Entry

“Dim.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dim. Accessed 3 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

dim

1 of 2 adjective
dimmer; dimmest
1
: not bright or clear : obscure, faint
a dim light
2
: being without luster : dull
dim colors
3
a
: not seeing or understanding clearly
dim eyes
b
: not seen or understood clearly
had only a dim notion of what was going on
dimly adverb
dimness noun

dim

2 of 2 verb
dimmed; dimming
1
: to make or become dim
2
: to reduce the light from

Medical Definition

dim

abbreviation
diminished

More from Merriam-Webster on dim

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