1
as in undermining
to deprive of emotional or intellectual vitality
refused to let the setbacks damp his drive for success
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of damping
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
Through careful tuning of an extended Kalman filter and by taking advantage of bamboo’s natural vibration-damping properties, the system slashes control latency from 15–20 milliseconds down to just 8–10 milliseconds, enhancing responsiveness while keeping flight stable.
—Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 4 Apr. 2026
This peripheral features silent key switches with additional sound-damping material in the chassis, as well as dedicated shortcut keys and a volume knob.
—Aubrey Jowers, PC Magazine, 31 Mar. 2026
The only change here, though, is that the KB399 gets more suspension adjustment than the Kawasaki, thanks to preload and damping adjusters.
—New Atlas, 26 Mar. 2026
For supply siders, higher taxes are like kryptonite to an economy, discouraging businesses from investing and damping entrepreneurial activity.
—Robert Burgess, Mercury News, 18 Mar. 2026
Increase Air Circulation and Humidity Place a small fan near the seed starting area to keep the air moving and reduce damping off, a common fungal disease.
—Sheryl Geerts, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Feb. 2026
The damping is also harsher than the bZ’s, but make no mistake, the ride’s still soft and generally comfortable, and this thing unapologetically rolls in the bends.
—Adam Ismail, The Drive, 18 Feb. 2026
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
Through careful tuning of an extended Kalman filter and by taking advantage of bamboo’s natural vibration-damping properties, the system slashes control latency from 15–20 milliseconds down to just 8–10 milliseconds, enhancing responsiveness while keeping flight stable.
—Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 4 Apr. 2026
This peripheral features silent key switches with additional sound-damping material in the chassis, as well as dedicated shortcut keys and a volume knob.
—Aubrey Jowers, PC Magazine, 31 Mar. 2026
The only change here, though, is that the KB399 gets more suspension adjustment than the Kawasaki, thanks to preload and damping adjusters.
—New Atlas, 26 Mar. 2026
For supply siders, higher taxes are like kryptonite to an economy, discouraging businesses from investing and damping entrepreneurial activity.
—Robert Burgess, Mercury News, 18 Mar. 2026
Increase Air Circulation and Humidity Place a small fan near the seed starting area to keep the air moving and reduce damping off, a common fungal disease.
—Sheryl Geerts, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Feb. 2026
The damping is also harsher than the bZ’s, but make no mistake, the ride’s still soft and generally comfortable, and this thing unapologetically rolls in the bends.
—Adam Ismail, The Drive, 18 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for damping
Verb
-
Nationalist parties in Scotland and Wales are also undermining the longtime Labour-Conservative duopoly.—
Christian Edwards,
CNN Money,
8 May 2026
-
Tragically, in this crucial moment for the legal profession, some nations that once championed the rule-of-law are now dangerously undermining lawyers, rather than defending them.—
Irwin Cotler,
Time,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
Blot — don’t rub — and avoid over-wetting the mattress, which can lead to mold growth if moisture gets trapped inside.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Sacbee.com,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Water at the base of plants instead of wetting the entire garden with a sprinkler or hose.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Unfortunately, facilities at public parks and libraries close at nightfall, greatly reducing the number of bathrooms available.—
Michael Perkins,
The Orlando Sentinel,
10 May 2026
-
In the surgical procedure, a v-shape of the lower lid is removed thereby shortening the area and reducing the defect.—
Dr. John De Jong,
Boston Herald,
10 May 2026
Verb
-
Dunn said Black domestic workers were often forced to work longer on election days by their white families, weakening their chances of casting a ballot.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
2 May 2026
-
If next week’s jobs report shows a still resilient labor market, that could relieve investors wary of a weakening economic outlook.—
Sarah Min,
CNBC,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
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
Verb
-
Another suggestion was requiring special sound-deadening balls, currently available, that lower the decibel levels considerably.—
John Ramos,
CBS News,
16 Mar. 2026
-
Both nationally and in Minnesota , there has been a shift away from intelligent discussion of public policy to endless partisan warfare with a deadening impact on the public.—
Arne Carlson,
Twin Cities,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Shane Lowry has the distinction of draining one of the more memorable putts in recent golf history.—
Kels Dayton,
Hartford Courant,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Grow crocosmia in moist, organically rich, well-draining soil in full sun to light shade.—
Madeline Buiano,
Martha Stewart,
27 Apr. 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
-
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
Cite this Entry
“Damping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/damping. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
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