1
as in damping
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 reducing
to reduce or weaken in strength or feeling
the oppressive heat dampened our spirits
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in undermining
to deprive of emotional or intellectual vitality
nothing could dampen their enthusiasm
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dampening
In the wake of the immigration raids last summer, many of their potential patrons refrained from hosting celebrations, dampening their business.
—
Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 29 Apr. 2026
One of San Francisco's busiest freeways remained shut down Saturday, creating major traffic delays and dampening business for some local restaurants and shops.
—Da Lin, CBS News, 19 Apr. 2026
Build budgets that defend your savings without dampening your enthusiasm.
—Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 3 Apr. 2026
In addition to adding decorative flair to windows and doors, these multipurpose window treatments promote privacy and block light, with many designs offering temperature-regulating and sound-dampening qualities to boot.
—Nashia Baker, Architectural Digest, 31 Mar. 2026
But a shortage of foreign workers is dampening the mood.
—ABC News, 26 Mar. 2026
That change has brought layoffs and smaller travel budgets, both dampening San Jose’s conference and convention recovery, Bellisario said.
—Ethan Baron, Mercury News, 21 Mar. 2026
The rebound in the dollar could be dampening the appeal of gold.
—John Towfighi, CNN Money, 20 Mar. 2026
After each set of waves, the control room would repeat the test, only with the turbulence-dampening software turned on this time.
—Burkhard Bilger, New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2026
Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 29 Apr. 2026
One of San Francisco's busiest freeways remained shut down Saturday, creating major traffic delays and dampening business for some local restaurants and shops.
—Da Lin, CBS News, 19 Apr. 2026
Build budgets that defend your savings without dampening your enthusiasm.
—Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 3 Apr. 2026
In addition to adding decorative flair to windows and doors, these multipurpose window treatments promote privacy and block light, with many designs offering temperature-regulating and sound-dampening qualities to boot.
—Nashia Baker, Architectural Digest, 31 Mar. 2026
But a shortage of foreign workers is dampening the mood.
—ABC News, 26 Mar. 2026
That change has brought layoffs and smaller travel budgets, both dampening San Jose’s conference and convention recovery, Bellisario said.
—Ethan Baron, Mercury News, 21 Mar. 2026
The rebound in the dollar could be dampening the appeal of gold.
—John Towfighi, CNN Money, 20 Mar. 2026
After each set of waves, the control room would repeat the test, only with the turbulence-dampening software turned on this time.
—Burkhard Bilger, New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dampening
Verb
-
Late last year, former President Jair Bolsonaro endorsed his son Flavio as the right’s candidate, damping investor expectations that Sao Paulo Governor Tarcisio de Freitas would gain broader backing.—
Giovanna Bellotti Azevedo,
Bloomberg,
7 Apr. 2026
-
While your seed starting mix mustn't fully dry out, keeping it overly wet and soggy can lead to damping off and other issues that will kill your seedlings.—
Alexandra Jones,
The Spruce,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Eco effort The Pig group’s 25-mile menu keeps suppliers local, reducing food miles and packaging in the process.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
16 May 2026
-
Its document generation tools guide founders through complex legal processes step by step, reducing errors and ensuring completeness.—
AllBusiness,
Forbes.com,
16 May 2026
Verb
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My ongoing efforts entail identifying ways that AI is helping mental well-being, in addition to ways that AI is simultaneously undermining mental well-being, see the link here.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
-
Rivalry between India-China, competing interests of Iran-UAE, and divisions over Russia’s Ukraine war are undermining the alliance’s push to counter Western dominance.—
Sheikh Saaliq,
Los Angeles Times,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
Avoid wetting leaves and vines.—
Barbara Gillette,
The Spruce,
12 May 2026
-
To achieve the bright look, Davy used a ColourPop eyeshadow palette, wetting the shadows with some water and using a concealer brush to apply them.—
Hannah Kerns,
PEOPLE,
10 May 2026
Verb
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But Death Stranding 2 had already been available for over a year on the PlayStation 5 when that leak happened, somewhat blunting its overall impact.—
Kyle Orland,
ArsTechnica,
11 May 2026
-
Preclinical research shows long-term estrogen deprivation epigenetically silences BDNF in the hippocampus, blunting the brain’s response to exercise over time.—
Torie Bosch,
STAT,
2 May 2026
Verb
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No ‘victory image’ for Tehran Ruhe similarly argued that Israel wants to avoid any agreement that restores legitimacy to the Iranian regime without fundamentally weakening it.—
Efrat Lachter,
FOXNews.com,
6 May 2026
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Forecasters say geomagnetic activity is gradually weakening, but lingering disturbances in Earth's magnetic field could still spark visible displays overnight, particularly in northern regions.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
6 May 2026
Verb
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For this, Langelo recommends moistening the soil to make the weeds easier to pull.—
Madeline Buiano,
Martha Stewart,
26 Apr. 2026
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Each watering session should deliver about 1/2 inch of water, moistening the soil to a depth of about 6 inches to support healthy root development.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The al fresco dining area is covered with beige tents, dulling the landscape.—
Lily Moayeri,
SPIN,
1 May 2026
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At Source puts seven years of joint practice and mutual magnetism to tape without dulling the dynamic buzz of their live sets.—
Hattie Lindert,
Pitchfork,
2 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dampening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dampening. Accessed 17 May. 2026.
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