1
as in damped
to make or become slightly or moderately wet
dampen a paper towel with water and use it to clean up the mess
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in reduced
to reduce or weaken in strength or feeling
the oppressive heat dampened our spirits
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in undermined
to deprive of emotional or intellectual vitality
nothing could dampen their enthusiasm
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in deadened
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Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dampened
Alexandra Harrell, Sourcing Journal, 22 Aug. 2025
Wall Street’s main indexes fell on Thursday as investors feared potentially hawkish remarks by the Federal Reserve chair on Friday that could spark volatility, while big-box retailer Walmart’s quarterly results dampened sentiment.
—Reuters, NBC news, 21 Aug. 2025
Vehicle prices and airfares fell, in part because of dampened demand.
—Arkansas Online, 13 Aug. 2025
Esther Zuckerman, Time, 6 Sep. 2025
Inputs that arrive in sync with the rhythm are amplified, while those that come at the wrong moment are dampened or ignored.
—New Atlas, 2 Sep. 2025
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
This incredible growth has been partially dampened by a 71% increase in total shares outstanding, to 391 million.
—Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
Take a microfiber towel dampened with a mixture of Castile soap and water to clean the remote.
—Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 26 Aug. 2025
And yet enthusiasm for football has not dampened, amid the engagement caused by four different champions in six years in Serie A, a mini-renaissance in club football in Europe and the Azzurre making the nation proud.
—James Horncastle, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2025
Even so, the delay dampened the energy of the game, both from a crowd and on-field perspective.
—Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 17 Aug. 2025
His spirits were further dampened by the closing of the State Fair one day early, resulting in the loss of business on one of the fair's busiest days.
—Jim Riccioli, jsonline.com, 14 Aug. 2025
Verb
Following Minneapolis household-name retail chain Target’s declining sales and dampened consumer perception, which followed backtracked DEI initiatives, chair and CEO Brian Cornell has resigned.
—Alexandra Harrell, Sourcing Journal, 22 Aug. 2025
Wall Street’s main indexes fell on Thursday as investors feared potentially hawkish remarks by the Federal Reserve chair on Friday that could spark volatility, while big-box retailer Walmart’s quarterly results dampened sentiment.
—Reuters, NBC news, 21 Aug. 2025
Vehicle prices and airfares fell, in part because of dampened demand.
—Arkansas Online, 13 Aug. 2025
Adjective
But her athletic triumph was tragically dampened by years of abuse at the hands of her husband and coach Jim Martin, who in 2010 attempted to murder her, stabbing her many times, slicing the flesh off the bone from her leg, and shooting her.
—Esther Zuckerman, Time, 6 Sep. 2025
Inputs that arrive in sync with the rhythm are amplified, while those that come at the wrong moment are dampened or ignored.
—New Atlas, 2 Sep. 2025
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
This incredible growth has been partially dampened by a 71% increase in total shares outstanding, to 391 million.
—Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2025
Take a microfiber towel dampened with a mixture of Castile soap and water to clean the remote.
—Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 26 Aug. 2025
And yet enthusiasm for football has not dampened, amid the engagement caused by four different champions in six years in Serie A, a mini-renaissance in club football in Europe and the Azzurre making the nation proud.
—James Horncastle, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2025
Even so, the delay dampened the energy of the game, both from a crowd and on-field perspective.
—Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 17 Aug. 2025
His spirits were further dampened by the closing of the State Fair one day early, resulting in the loss of business on one of the fair's busiest days.
—Jim Riccioli, jsonline.com, 14 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dampened
Verb
-
Its carbon-fiber tonearm and damped aluminum platter reduce resonance for clearer, more dynamic sound, while the pre-mounted cartridge keeps setup refreshingly straightforward.—
Jacorey Moon,
Architectural Digest,
5 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Citing economic pressures, the museum reduced its staff earlier this year, with a total of eight positions affected either by layoffs or a reduction in pay and benefits.—
Jim Higgins,
jsonline.com,
5 Sep. 2025
-
Dementia risk could be dramatically reduced with one common health intervention, a study finds.—
Staff,
FOXNews.com,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Given that the Court, under Chief Justice John Roberts, has already significantly undermined past interpretations of Voting Rights Act, there is significant anticipation that the majority-minority districts will be struck down as unconstitutional.—
Tom Rogers,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Sep. 2025
-
The plaintiffs claim his acts denied access to justice, violated ministerial duties and undermined the public’s trust.—
Rachel Royster,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Even when the Dodgers find a glimmer, it has been dulled rather quickly.—
Fabian Ardaya,
New York Times,
6 Sep. 2025
-
My sleep was fractured, my health declined, my decisions dulled, and my confidence wavered.—
Daisy Auger-Domínguez,
Forbes.com,
25 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Wastewater and bilge drained into the bay.—
Steven Rosenfeld,
Mercury News,
6 Sep. 2025
-
This Jasmine Crockett seems drained.—
Stephanie McNeal,
Glamour,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Drizzle butter over crumb mixture; pulse until evenly moistened.—
Ann Taylor Pittman,
Southern Living,
24 Aug. 2025
-
Using a spatula, stir until the flour is just moistened and mostly incorporated (a few small clumps are okay).—
Karla Walsh,
Better Homes & Gardens,
7 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
The shift has blunted the impact of Toronto’s once-potent People’s Choice Award, a prize long seen as an awards-season springboard.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
27 Aug. 2025
-
A week later, apart from during a bright opening quarter of an hour when Cunha was unlucky not to open the scoring, Amorim’s side were otherwise blunted by Fulham.—
Mark Critchley,
New York Times,
25 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The problem is that what gets cut isn’t always cosmetic, and sometimes the very safeguards designed to block harmful outputs, such as hate speech or criminal instructions, are weakened or lost.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
7 Sep. 2025
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Meanwhile, the latest jobs report confirmed that the labor market weakened sharply over the spring and summer and that sectors most affected by tariffs have seen the biggest losses.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
7 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dampened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dampened. Accessed 12 Sep. 2025.
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