damping

verb

present participle of damp
1
as in undermining
to deprive of emotional or intellectual vitality refused to let the setbacks damp his drive for success

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in wetting
to make or become slightly or moderately wet damp the shirt slightly before ironing it

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in reducing
to reduce or weaken in strength or feeling nothing seemed to damp the unwelcome attentions of her suitor

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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 damping 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 Bimota retunes the Balance Free Fork with a low spring rate, firmer compression damping, and softer rebound, while the rear damper can adjust up to 30 millimeters with an eccentric bolt. — Michael Van Runkle, Robb Report, 21 Sep. 2026 Steering response is quick, precise and abetted by standard rear-axle steering and adaptive damping that cushions bumps and keeps the car level and stable in quick maneuvers. — Mark Phelan, Freep.com, 25 Aug. 2026 Armed with this insight, Cohen then needed to find a way to create just the right version of this flexible object to produce a proper damping function. — Shalma Wegsman, Quanta Magazine, 12 Aug. 2026 This may predispose plants to problems like root rot and damping off disease. — Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Aug. 2026 There’s a chance, experts noted, that this year’s El Niño could bring more fall rain, damping the Santa Ana winds’s ability to fuel fast-moving fires. — Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 22 July 2026 The resulting cavities are filled with dedicated acoustic damping material to control unwanted internal reflections. — Mark Sparrow, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for damping
  1. undermining
  2. wetting
  3. reducing
  4. weakening
  5. dampening
  6. deadening
  7. draining
  8. moistening
Verb
  • Both fringe and mainstream conservatives have portrayed Indian Americans as stealing high-paying tech jobs from white workers and undermining American unity.
    — Gaby Del Valle, The Verge, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Chapek made Iger a starring character in his own memoir, blaming him for undermining his leadership after selecting him for the top job.
    — Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 20 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
  • Gupta estimated that reducing formation time by half or more could lower overall factory electricity use by 10% to 15%.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Slowing or reducing the demand for that subsidy seems appropriate in my view.
    — Letters to the Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of reducing
Verb
  • Electing more allies could give either camp an edge in shaping AI policy in the next Congress, even as the feud risks weakening Silicon Valley's clout.
    — Luke Fountain, CNBC, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Today, despite low unemployment and easing inflation, frustration over everyday expenses is weighing on voter’s perception of the economy — and weakening Lula’s support.
    — Alessandra Freitas, CNN Money, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of weakening
Verb
  • Chris Costagli, a vice president and food thought leader at NielsenIQ, said high gas prices have worsened Americans’ concerns about affordability, and that's dampening demand for Halloween treats.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026
  • An improved suspension helped, as did the additional sound dampening made possible by its unified construction.
    — Robb Report, Robb Report, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of dampening
Verb
  • Inside the cabin, extensive additional sound deadening in the doors, trunk and wheel arches means phone calls and passenger conversations are entirely effortless at highway speeds.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Each presents a group portrait of a handful of disaffected British suburbanites—husbands who resent their deadening jobs, toddlers who whine and interrupt, and, above all, hassled wives subsumed by a crush of household obligations.
    — Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of deadening
Verb
  • That means removing plants, mud and debris from boats, trailers and equipment; draining water from compartments; and allowing equipment to dry completely.
    — Daniel Hunt, Sacbee.com, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Secretly draining shared savings or hiding major debt are obvious betrayals.
    — Jenna Ryu, Washington Post, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of draining
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

Browse Nearby Words

dampers
damping
dampish
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Cite this Entry

“Damping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/damping. Accessed 30 Oct. 2026.

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