1
as in hole
a sunken area forming a separate space
there was a big dent in the car's hood where something had hit it
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in decrease
the amount by which something is lessened
a little belt-tightening would at least make a small dent in our credit-card debt
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to reduce
to make smaller in amount, volume, or extent
hopefully this vacation won't dent our bank account too much
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dent
Frank Landymore, Futurism, 26 Mar. 2026
Baseball’s lack of All-Stars in the Olympics has not made a dent in the growth of the game.
—Mac Engel
march 25, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Mar. 2026
Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 30 Mar. 2026
The richest man alive, Elon Musk, has countered that taxing every billionaire at 100% barely dents the $39 trillion national debt.
—Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dent
Noun
This apparent recloning limit could put a dent in a number of sci-fi sounding but already burgeoning ambitions.
—Frank Landymore, Futurism, 26 Mar. 2026
Baseball’s lack of All-Stars in the Olympics has not made a dent in the growth of the game.
—Mac Engel
march 25, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Mar. 2026
Verb
Fewer immigrants also helped dent Southern California’s overall population.
—Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 30 Mar. 2026
The richest man alive, Elon Musk, has countered that taxing every billionaire at 100% barely dents the $39 trillion national debt.
—Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dent
Noun
-
Cut a piece of PVC piping slightly longer than the pot’s height, then drill holes 2 inches (5 centimeters) apart along its sides.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Residents in West Philadelphia are fed up with a massive hole in the middle of their street.—
Kerri Corrado,
CBS News,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Unemployment insurance claims stood at 202,000 in the week ending March 28, a decrease of 9,000 from the previous week, according to Labor Department data.—
Rachel Barber,
USA Today,
3 Apr. 2026
-
In addition to the decaying physical structure, Richards highlighted a decrease in correction officer staffing levels such that people inside do not feel safe.—
Steve Zeidman,
New York Daily News,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Global oil supply has reduced by 13%, according to the IMF, while severe damage has been done to other critical supply chains.—
Joseph Wilkins,
CNBC,
7 Apr. 2026
-
But government hunting programs and other efforts to reduce their numbers as the human population grew led to the local extinction, or extirpation, of the animals from California more than a century ago.—
Sharon Bernstein,
Sacbee.com,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
To round it all out, add a fire pit that brings everyone together once the sun goes down for everything from s’mores to late-night hangs.—
Toni Sutton,
PEOPLE,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Pangea’s partners mill (grind) and hydrolyze (break down using water) these pits.—
Alexandra Harrell,
Footwear News,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The hotel has set waste and water reduction targets, including plastic and food waste prevention.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Pollution reduction, congestion reduction, improved safety, comfort, reliability.—
Jon Wertheim,
CBS News,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The researchers used a 5 × 5 array of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers, or VCSELs, each capable of sending its own signal.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Typically cavities are found in mature trees, so having a dead tree or small pile of dead branches will actually increase your chances of Eastern bluebirds visiting your garden.—
Abby Fribush,
Southern Living,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Consider a misting device or a drop fountain.—
James Powel,
USA Today,
2 Apr. 2026
-
With a $300 price drop, this is a rare chance to grab a professional-grade, 49-inch curved monitor for a mid-range price.—
Juhi Wadia,
PC Magazine,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Estrogen decline is linked to higher total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and triglycerides.—
Amy Brownstein,
Verywell Health,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Microsoft saw its stock fall 23% over the first quarter, more than the 7% decline of the tech-heavy NASDAQ, marking the worst quarter for its share price since 2008.—
Tom Chivers,
semafor.com,
1 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dent. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.
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