dim

adjective

\ ˈdim

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 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

dim

verb

dimmed; dimming

Definition of dim (Entry 2 of 4)

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

noun

Definition of dim (Entry 3 of 4)

1 automotive vehicles : low beam

2 archaic : dusk, dimness

dim

abbreviation

Definition of dim (Entry 4 of 4)

1 dimension

2 diminished

3 diminuendo

4 diminutive

Other Words from dim Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about dim

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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

Initially, many researchers took a dim view of the Gaia hypothesis. — NBC News, "Cyborgs will replace humans and remake the world, James Lovelock says," 25 Aug. 2019 If what happens to Moose throughout the movie is any indication, Durst and company take a dim view of such people. — Christian Holub, EW.com, "The Fanatic has an out-there performance from John Travolta and not much else," 3 Sep. 2019 That, nor the fact that the trade conflict has repeatedly seen both sides attempt to negotiate before ending in acrimony and more tariffs and trade penalties, did not dim investors’ willingness to bid stocks higher. — Washington Post, "US stocks rally on optimism for a US-China trade war thaw," 26 Aug. 2019 But Brits, according to polls, actually take a rather dim view of Trump. — Billy Perrigo, Time, "What to Expect of Britain's New Prime Minister Boris Johnson at the G7 Summit," 23 Aug. 2019 Playing up the promise of Jumia Pay as an additional revenue stream appeared to be a bid to offset the dim view of its latest earnings results. — Yomi Kazeem, Quartz Africa, "Jumia wants to spin off its payments business as it struggles to stem mounting losses," 22 Aug. 2019 The officer flashed his lights; however, the vehicle did not dim the lights nor proceed as the roadway was clear. — Houston Chronicle, "Memorial Villages Police Department weekly report," 29 July 2019 The selloff won’t dim investor enthusiasm for the stock altogether. — Charley Grant, WSJ, "Caution Still Needed on Biogen Alzheimer’s Bounty," 26 July 2018 Also the head-up display shows the speed limit in a too-bright square that doesn’t dim with the dash lights. — Andy Mikonis, chicagotribune.com, "Auto review: Mercedes-Benz S560 Cabriolet options over $150,000 of drop-top luxury," 13 June 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

The lighting is dimmed, zero gravity chairs recline and soft music fills the space. — Kathi Santora, baltimoresun.com, "Bel Air spa’s salt therapy sessions praised for therapeutic and relaxation benefits," 19 Aug. 2019 Lights can be dimmed, but never turned off, and there are no bedsheets or materials that could be used for self-harm. — Ali Watkins, BostonGlobe.com, "The last days of Jeffrey Epstein," 17 Aug. 2019 Lights can be dimmed, but never turned off, and there are no bedsheets or materials that could be used for self-harm. — Ali Watkins, New York Times, "Inmate 76318-054: The Last Days of Jeffrey Epstein," 17 Aug. 2019 As for the proposals, once the tour ends, the lights are dimmed, and the question is asked. — Anna Ben Yehuda Rahmanan, Fortune, "Ride and Eat in the First Rolling Restaurant in Italy," 10 Aug. 2019 By that time, the crazy fame that followed his Suite Life days had dimmed down, but his role as Jughead threw him back into the spotlight. — Jasmine Gomez, Seventeen, "Cole Sprouse Said He Might Have Quit Acting If It Wasn’t for “Riverdale"," 7 Aug. 2019 O’Rourke’s political star has dimmed a bit for now, but his political muscle in Texas is well entrenched. — Dallas News, "How immigration battles are firing up Latinos and putting Texas, battleground states in play for the presidential election," 23 June 2019 The popularity of low-cost mutual and exchange-traded funds has dimmed the prospects of Legg Mason and many other asset managers. — Justin Baer, WSJ, "There Is No Easy Fix for Legg Mason and Other Money Managers," 17 June 2019 With Monday’s resolution in place, the spotlight on genetic genealogy inside the Snohomish County courtroom may have dimmed. — Megan Molteni, WIRED, "A Murder Trial Will Allow DNA Evidence From a Genealogy Site," 11 June 2019

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

In the dim, red light of an alien sun, scientists have found the first evidence for water in the atmosphere of a rocky planet - offering a tantalizing new target in the search for life in the universe. — Sarah Kaplan, Anchorage Daily News, "Scientists say they found their first potentially habitable planet with water in its skies," 12 Sep. 2019 In the dim, red light of an alien sun, scientists have found the first evidence for water in the atmosphere of a rocky planet - offering a tantalizing new target in the search for life in the universe. — Sarah Kaplan, Anchorage Daily News, "Scientists say they found their first potentially habitable planet with water in its skies," 12 Sep. 2019 In the dim, red light of an alien sun, scientists have found the first evidence for water in the atmosphere of a rocky planet - offering a tantalizing new target in the search for life in the universe. — Sarah Kaplan, Anchorage Daily News, "Scientists say they found their first potentially habitable planet with water in its skies," 12 Sep. 2019 In the dim, red light of an alien sun, scientists have found the first evidence for water in the atmosphere of a rocky planet - offering a tantalizing new target in the search for life in the universe. — oregonlive, "First evidence of water found in atmosphere of planet K2-18b," 11 Sep. 2019 Not because our desire for justice dims, but because the chance of achieving it does. — Fox News, "Tucker: Brett Kavanaugh and the hypocrisy of the Democratic Party," 18 Sep. 2018 David would drive to JPL's dim, theater-like mission-control room to get started, and Bryn would find things for the kids to do—taking them on late-night bike rides, to diners and all-night bowling alleys. — Jacqueline Detwiler, Popular Mechanics, "Inside the Jet Propulsion Laboratory: NASA's Crazy, Kooky, Legendary Research Facility," 3 Nov. 2016 From Earth, the immense stone appears as a dim yellow dot. — Fox News, "'Monster' asteroid 4 times than the UK is so close to Earth you can see it - and here's how," 27 June 2018 Our next stop, Golden Paramount, was a different kind of dim-sum experience. — Taras Grescoe, New York Times, "The Best Asian Food in North America? Try British Columbia," 4 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'dim.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.