1
as in to moisten
to make or become slightly or moderately wet
dampen a paper towel with water and use it to clean up the mess
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to reduce
to reduce or weaken in strength or feeling
the oppressive heat dampened our spirits
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to undermine
to deprive of emotional or intellectual vitality
nothing could dampen their enthusiasm
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dampen
While casting rumors have swirled, Pressman said nothing is confirmed just yet, but that hasn’t dampened his excitement.
—
Brian Welk, IndieWire, 2 Sep. 2025
For businesses, this will mean more delays to shipping to the US as a number are likely to wait until the Supreme Court decision, which will continue to dampen international business activity and global economic growth.
—London Business School, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2025
Moscow is seeking to dampen the American response to its latest strikes on Kyiv, which took place overnight into Thursday, August 28.
—Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Aug. 2025
Tariffs are dampening consumer and corporate demand, dragging on GDP.
—Jim Edwards, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dampen
Brian Welk, IndieWire, 2 Sep. 2025
For businesses, this will mean more delays to shipping to the US as a number are likely to wait until the Supreme Court decision, which will continue to dampen international business activity and global economic growth.
—London Business School, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2025
Moscow is seeking to dampen the American response to its latest strikes on Kyiv, which took place overnight into Thursday, August 28.
—Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Aug. 2025
Tariffs are dampening consumer and corporate demand, dragging on GDP.
—Jim Edwards, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dampen
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dampen
Verb
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Heavy rainfall will be possible from the thunderstorms later today as the atmosphere moistens.—
Anna Skinner,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Aug. 2025
-
Drizzle butter over crumb mixture; pulse until evenly moistened.—
Ann Taylor Pittman,
Southern Living,
24 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Made with prebiotic oat to soothe irritation and support the skin barrier, the gentle cream also has feverfew extract, which is packed with antioxidants that reduce redness and further calm irritation.—
Jenny Berg,
Vogue,
4 Sep. 2025
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Funding used in high school for more than 29 credit hours will reduce scholarship eligibility after high school by one year, and more than 59 credit hours will reduce eligibility by two years.—
Edward McKinnon,
Arkansas Online,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The problem comes when ideological casting choices begin to undermine the narrative, contravening Grisham’s famously effective structure and pacing.—
Graham Hillard,
The Washington Examiner,
5 Sep. 2025
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Ten Hag’s first season at United yielded silverware and a third-place league finish, but also had bouts of concerning away form, with tactical weaknesses that would eventually spread and critically undermine his plans for the future.—
Carl Anka,
New York Times,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Mop the floor once again with the clean, damp mop to thoroughly remove any residue.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
7 Sep. 2025
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The 2010 Land Art Generator Initiative entry even proposed hydraulic damping in the base to scavenge more energy from each gust.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
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That transition will bring with it some advantages (the conflict of being a part of the Comcast empire is diminished) but also challenges.—
Alex Weprin,
HollywoodReporter,
9 Sep. 2025
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Many observers feel that the family’s power in Thailand is diminished, and its long dominant political machine could finally be out of steam.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Israeli strikes severely weakened Hezbollah – culminating in the assassination of its revered leader, Hassan Nasrallah – and significantly curtailed the group’s domestic clout.—
Mostafa Salem,
CNN Money,
5 Sep. 2025
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Symptoms related to Listeria monocytogenes Listeria is especially harmful to people whose immune system is weakened or not fully developed but can also impact healthy individuals.—
Julia Gomez,
USA Today,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Potential for wetting rain exists and could provide additional containment opportunities.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
3 Sep. 2025
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To clean, start by wetting the inside of your shower.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
20 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Horror of this scale has the effect of deadening words, making stories of the most unimaginable violence land with a dull thud.—
Jack Sheehan
September 4,
Literary Hub,
4 Sep. 2025
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The Finnish midfielder deadened the ball with a foot and quickly chipped it laterally over nearby defenders.—
Tom Krasovic,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dampen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dampen. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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