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
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3
as in to undermine
to deprive of emotional or intellectual vitality
nothing could dampen their enthusiasm
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dampen
Williams, though, tried to dampen expectation at the time.
—
Ben Church, CNN Money, 1 June 2026
Others see the move as a last-ditch effort to boost sales as expectations for a World Cup economic boon have dampened.
—ABC News, 1 June 2026
Hilton is pleading with his chief Republican rival, county Sheriff Chad Bianco, to pull out of the contest, fearing an all-Democratic ticket would dampen GOP turnout across the state and reorder races for Congress and the Legislature.
—Michael R. Blood, Chicago Tribune, 1 June 2026
The damage to the concrete apron is not yet known; nor is the condition of the deluge system that pours up to a million gallons of water on the pad during launch to protect it from the heat of New Glenn’s engines and dampen the acoustical shock of a liftoff.
—Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 29 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for dampen
Ben Church, CNN Money, 1 June 2026
Others see the move as a last-ditch effort to boost sales as expectations for a World Cup economic boon have dampened.
—ABC News, 1 June 2026
Hilton is pleading with his chief Republican rival, county Sheriff Chad Bianco, to pull out of the contest, fearing an all-Democratic ticket would dampen GOP turnout across the state and reorder races for Congress and the Legislature.
—Michael R. Blood, Chicago Tribune, 1 June 2026
The damage to the concrete apron is not yet known; nor is the condition of the deluge system that pours up to a million gallons of water on the pad during launch to protect it from the heat of New Glenn’s engines and dampen the acoustical shock of a liftoff.
—Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 29 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for dampen
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dampen
Verb
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Add the milk and vanilla; stir just until batter is moistened.—
Jessica Saari Christensen,
Better Homes & Gardens,
2 June 2026
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Set a damp sponge on a dish, and use it to moisten the adhesive on the envelopes.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
1 June 2026
Verb
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Spirulina helps eliminate heavy metal build-up in the body, for instance; ginger and cumin reduce bloating; lecithin and gingko can improve memory.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
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Statistically, the drug reduced the risk of death by 60% compared with chemotherapy.—
Ed Silverman,
STAT,
1 June 2026
Verb
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Treating speech like violence undermines a free society.—
Editorial Board,
Washington Post,
1 June 2026
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Spain’s success over the past five years has undermined many long-standing political-economic truisms.—
Rogé Karma,
The Atlantic,
1 June 2026
Verb
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Despite their importance, however, documents were found piled on the ground, damp and partially burned.—
Amer Matar,
The Dial,
26 May 2026
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Regular sweeping helps prevent that damp layer where algae loves to grow.—
Jessica Safavimehr,
Southern Living,
26 May 2026
Verb
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According to the alliance, the theme emphasizes the LGBTQ+ community's place in American society, calls for resistance against efforts to diminish their rights and visibility and encourages people to live openly, proudly and without apology.—
Mike Stunson,
USA Today,
2 June 2026
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Confidence Doesn’t Require an Apology Corporate culture often reinforces self-diminishing behavior.—
Kelly Ehlers,
Rolling Stone,
2 June 2026
Verb
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The Reserve Bank of Australia will likely focus on the strength of private demand before factoring in the conflict, alongside inflation risks stemming from weak productivity and rising unit labor costs, according to Stenner, who expects household consumption to weaken in the second quarter.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
3 June 2026
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Critics counter that scarcity alone does not guarantee value if investor demand weakens.—
Sharon Wu,
USA Today,
2 June 2026
Verb
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Aerate and immediately water lawns that are compacted, hard to wet or have nematode problems.—
Tom MacCubbin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
30 May 2026
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Water slowly and deeply to thoroughly wet the root zone.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
30 May 2026
Verb
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Sam Lambert laid down a safety squeeze, deadening the ball in front of the plate and scoring Balls to trim the lead to 3-1.—
Dave Montrose,
The Orlando Sentinel,
16 May 2026
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Exposing the dental pulp and cleaning out the cavity’s contents also would have deadened the nerves and blood vessels there, leading to pain relief, Zubova said.—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN Money,
13 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dampen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dampen. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
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