dampening

verb

present participle of dampen
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in reducing
to reduce or weaken in strength or feeling the oppressive heat dampened our spirits

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in undermining
to deprive of emotional or intellectual vitality nothing could dampen their enthusiasm

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 dampening An improved suspension helped, as did the additional sound dampening made possible by its unified construction. — Robb Report, 9 Oct. 2026 Polls show bipartisan concerns about AI developing too quickly, and high costs for everyday items like gas and groceries are dampening the economic outlook for many Americans. — ABC News, 8 Oct. 2026 The rise in interest rates could put pressure on Wall Street firms’ trading returns, while also dampening the outlook for the IPO market and dealmaking, as well as the consumer. — John Towfighi, CNN Money, 6 Oct. 2026 As a result, this yield spike is driving mortgage rates higher, dampening housing demand among homebuyers. — CNBC, 2 Oct. 2026 But El Niño can disrupt the winds, dampening upwelling and reducing the food supply. — Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026 Acoustic noise-dampening panels compliment the design, while fully-adjustable, electric standing desks make working or in-room dining comfortable. — Alison Fox, Travel + Leisure, 25 Sep. 2026 There's no hybrid system assisting the engine, no all-wheel-drive, no parking sensors, and no sound dampening materials. — Abhimanyu Ghoshal, New Atlas, 15 Sep. 2026 But both parties have violated the terms of the deal throughout the two-month period, dampening hopes that the tenuous truce would lead to a more concrete agreement to end the conflict. — Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 17 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dampening
  1. damping
  2. reducing
  3. undermining
  4. wetting
  5. blunting
  6. weakening
  7. moistening
  8. dulling
Verb
  • Suspension is taken care of by 43-mm upside-down forks with adjustable rebound and compression damping, and an adjustable central spring strut at the rear.
    — Abhimanyu Ghoshal, New Atlas, 7 Oct. 2026
  • The preset low-speed compression and rebound damping settings can be fine-tuned further with twelve clicks of compression adjustment and sixteen clicks of rebound adjustment.
    — Andrew P. Collins, The Drive, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of damping
Verb
  • While serving as a public health official, el Sayed wrote an op-ed in 2019 strongly supporting the Green New Deal, arguing that reducing greenhouse gas emissions will help improve public health.
    — Maydeen Merino, The Washington Examiner, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Together, the tools could help accelerate the development of more resilient electric motor systems while reducing the risks associated with critical material shortages, volatile supply chains and rapidly changing global markets.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of reducing
Verb
  • Iran and its Houthi allies are now undermining both of those operations.
    — David Goldman, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2026
  • The Navy desperately needs more subs, and Baltimore stands to gain thousands of jobs, but making the primary customer a 40 percent owner of a new facility risks undermining market discipline.
    — Editorial Board, Washington Post, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of undermining
Verb
  • Havenith said deliberately wetting clothing can provide evaporative cooling, including for older adults who may not sweat as effectively.
    — Aya Diab, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026
  • For best results, water deeply at the base of the plant, allowing moisture to soak into the root zone rather than wetting the foliage, says Kelly Funk, president and CEO of Jackson & Perkins.
    — Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of wetting
Verb
  • In theory, the clearinghouse would monitor the speed of AI growth without blunting the nation’s competitive advantage.
    — John Caruso, Hartford Courant, 14 Oct. 2026
  • The law is aimed at blunting financial scams that often target older adults, which frequently include prompting victims to withdraw large sums of money at once.
    — Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of blunting
Verb
  • Mortgage demand continues to drop sharply, as buyers face higher prices and weakening affordability.
    — Diana Olick, CNBC, 14 Oct. 2026
  • The upper-level trough over the western United States will gradually advance eastward, weakening the influence of the ridge that has kept us hot and relatively dry.
    — Michael Autovino, CBS News, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of weakening
Verb
  • The next several days will see a cooling and moistening trend in both the Bay Area and Central Coast; temperatures are expected to be well below seasonal averages.
    — Carlos E. Castañeda, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • For this, Langelo recommends moistening the soil to make the weeds easier to pull.
    — Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 26 Apr. 2026
Definition of moistening
Verb
  • Extreme weather events, such as drought or heavy rainfall, also stress trees and can trigger them to rapidly protect themselves by more rapidly pulling in the chlorophyll from their leaves, dulling fall colors.
    — Mary Randolph, Scientific American, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Eyesafe technology cuts blue light without dulling the color, which is easier on your eyes during long work days.
    — Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of dulling

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Cite this Entry

“Dampening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dampening. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

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