damp 1 of 3

adjective

Definition of dampnext
1
as in humid
containing or characterized by an uncomfortable amount of moisture the damp air made 85 degrees feel like 105

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in moist
slightly or moderately wet marks can usually be removed with a damp cloth

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

damp

2 of 3

noun

ˈdamp How to pronounce damp (audio)
as in moisture
the amount of water suspended in the air in tiny droplets we bought a dehumidifier for the basement when the damp down there began causing mold to grow

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

damp

3 of 3

verb

1
as in to drain
to deprive of emotional or intellectual vitality refused to let the setbacks damp his drive for success

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to wet
to make or become slightly or moderately wet damp the shirt slightly before ironing it

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to dull
to reduce or weaken in strength or feeling nothing seemed to damp the unwelcome attentions of her suitor

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word damp distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of damp are dank, humid, moist, and wet. While all these words mean "covered or more or less soaked with liquid," damp implies a slight or moderate absorption and often connotes an unpleasant degree of moisture.

clothes will mildew if stored in a damp place

When would dank be a good substitute for damp?

In some situations, the words dank and damp are roughly equivalent. However, dank implies a more distinctly disagreeable or unwholesome dampness.

a prisoner in a cold, dank cell

When could humid be used to replace damp?

While the synonyms humid and damp are close in meaning, humid applies to the presence of much water vapor in the air.

a hot, humid climate

When can moist be used instead of damp?

The meanings of moist and damp largely overlap; however, moist applies to what is slightly damp or not felt as dry.

treat the injury with moist heat

When is wet a more appropriate choice than damp?

The synonyms wet and damp are sometimes interchangeable, but wet usually implies saturation but may suggest a covering of a surface with water or something (such as paint) not yet dry.

slipped on the wet pavement

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of damp
Adjective
This includes simple measures like measuring wet-bulb globe temperatures—as read by a thermometer covered in a damp cloth to measure relative humidity—on their production floors. —Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 25 Sep. 2025 These tiny flies breed in damp sand, mud and wet organic matter washed ashore, making areas just above the high tide line or near marsh edges hotspots for their presence. —Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 25 Sep. 2025
Noun
Invigorated by the damp, fungi living quietly in the soil sprout fruiting bodies. —Rachel Bujalski Veronique Greenwood, New York Times, 11 June 2024 The melodramatic piano music has put you on edge, as have the visible damp of the Savannah air and the oak trees dripping with moss. —E. Tammy Kim, The New Yorker, 8 Dec. 2023
Verb
Leaky pipes, faucets, roofs, or air conditioners can all create excess humidity and may lead to overly damp environments. —Soo Kim, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Sep. 2025 The active damping system, the company said, increases off-road speed while boosting gunners’ hit probability and extending the life of subsystems. —Kapil Kajal, Interesting Engineering, 16 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for damp
Recent Examples of Synonyms for damp
  1. humid
  2. moist
  3. moisture
  4. drain
  5. wet
  6. dull
  7. humidity
  8. undermine
Adjective
  • Given the country’s proximity to the equator, the paddock endures hot and humid conditions when the September race arrives.
    — Madeline Coleman, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
  • For humid Southern climates, the Nexxus Anti-Humidity Spray and Ouidad Advanced Climate Control Heat & Humidity Gel are great for creating sleek and smooth hair.
    — Melanie Fincher, Southern Living, 6 Oct. 2025
Definition of humid
Adjective
  • These muffins are perfectly moist from the apples which are grated and stirred into batter.
    — Phoebe Evans, Southern Living, 1 Oct. 2025
  • The American Society for Microbiology said that warm, moist skin folds are more likely to collect microbes.
    — Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 28 Sep. 2025
Definition of moist
Noun
  • However, hot sun, freezing temperatures, and moisture will speed up decay.
    — Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Oct. 2025
  • The 2025 Nobel Prize for Chemistry was awarded for the creation of metal-organic frameworks, molecular structures that can capture CO₂, filter pollutants from water, or trap moisture from desert air.
    — Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 8 Oct. 2025
Definition of moisture
Verb
  • Hand sinks in kitchen not draining properly.
    — Gege Reed, Louisville Courier Journal, 3 Oct. 2025
  • Advertisement Between 1980 and 1988, as the war with Iraq drained the national budget, only a handful of dams were under construction.
    — Nik Kowsar, Time, 2 Oct. 2025
Definition of drain
Verb
  • But the comedy is absolutely something that wets my beak, I'm drawn to it.
    — H. Alan Scott, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 2025
  • What sold me on the Shapton set was the process of wetting the whetstones.
    — Jesse Raub, Bon Appetit Magazine, 30 Sep. 2025
Definition of wet
Verb
  • The demands of the job don’t dull the pain of being absent from inflection points in each of his daughter’s lives.
    — Christopher Kamrani, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025
  • The key to restoring that perfect onion split is maintaining a sharp knife, though for years, my attempts at using a whetstone were more likely to dull the edge more than sharpen it.
    — Jesse Raub, Bon Appetit Magazine, 30 Sep. 2025
Definition of dull
Noun
  • Heat and humidity have also affected the Shanghai Masters, which is running alongside the Wuhan Open.
    — Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
  • Large Patch Turfgrass fungi are always present, but disease occurs when environmental conditions are ideal for its development, namely during an extended period of humidity and cooler temperatures.
    — Arricca Elin SanSone, Southern Living, 6 Oct. 2025
Definition of humidity
Verb
  • The journalists' arrests sparked outrage among free press advocates, who say the prosecutions undermine First Amendment freedoms and have called for prosecutors to drop the misdemeanor charges.
    — Quinlan Bentley, Cincinnati Enquirer, 2 Oct. 2025
  • But solar advocates pushed back, warning that the changes would lengthen payback periods, discourage solar investment and undermine clean energy goals adopted by cities like Boise.
    — Angela Palermo, Idaho Statesman, 2 Oct. 2025
Definition of undermine

Browse Nearby Words

damn well
damp
damped
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Damp.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/damp. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on damp

Nglish: Translation of damp for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about damp

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Using Bullet Points ( • )

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

Your vs. You're: How to Use Them Correctly
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 3

8 Real (and Perceived) Redundant Words

Birds Say the Darndest Things

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

Better Ways to Say 'This Sucks'
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 3

8 Real (and Perceived) Redundant Words
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
vintage ad illustration of a smiling woman
Brand Name Vocabulary Quiz You’re gonna need some moxie to ace this quiz
See All