dimmer; dimmest
Definition of dim
(Entry 1 of 4)
1a : 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
2a : 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 oftakes a dim view of human nature
3 : dim-witted too dim to understand the joke
4 : not perceiving clearly and distinctly
dim eyes
dim
verbdimmed; dimming
Definition of dim (Entry 2 of 4)
1 : to reduce the light from
dim the headlights
2 : to make dim or lusterless
dimmed their hopes of an early settlement
: to become dim
the lights dimmed their beauty had dimmed
dim
noundim
abbreviationDefinition of dim (Entry 4 of 4)
1 dimension
2 diminished
3 diminuendo
4 diminutive
Keep scrolling for more
Keep scrolling for more
Keep scrolling for more
Keep scrolling for more
Test Your Vocabulary
Slippery Words Quiz—Changing with the Times
- What is an earlier meaning of nice?

Test your visual vocabulary with our 10-question challenge!
TAKE THE QUIZ
Spell words. Make bears.
TAKE THE QUIZLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridgedWords at Play
Ask the Editors
Word Games
Share dim
Time Traveler for dim
The first known use of dim was before the 12th century
See more words from the same century