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

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

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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 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 Sport mode sits closer to the 21C’s natural operating balance, engaging both the combustion engine and electric systems for full output while firming up the damping and sharpening responses. — Bradley Iger, ArsTechnica, 6 July 2026 Excess moisture can cause diseases like damping off, a fungus that harms young seedlings. — Rita Pelczar, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 June 2026 The car’s otherworldly handling begins there and is further enhanced by McLaren’s adaptive damping system on its double-wishbone independent suspension. — Jerry Perez, The Drive, 24 June 2026 There are also active road-preview sensors incorporated straight into the setup, which preemptively modify damping resistance according to incoming surface topology. — Utkarsh Sood june 23, New Atlas, 23 June 2026 The suspension has been reworked by completely altering its geometry, mounting points, and damping. — Basem Wasef, Robb Report, 17 June 2026 The 38mm transducers and steel-mesh damping design help control air displacement for clearer, more immersive sound without compromising bass. — George Yang, PC Magazine, 8 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for damping
  1. undermining
  2. wetting
  3. reducing
  4. weakening
  5. dampening
  6. deadening
  7. draining
  8. moistening
Verb
  • The act grants the NCAA absolute control over athlete eligibility through this antitrust shield, undermining federal and state law, specifically Title IX and who can compete in the women’s category.
    — Katie Uhlaender OutKick, FOXNews.com, 20 July 2026
  • At least a dozen attacks on Ebola treatment centers and health workers in Congo’s Ituri province are undermining containment efforts, raising fresh alarm over safety at the outbreak’s epicenter.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 18 July 2026
Definition of undermining
Verb
  • The mountain thunderstorms are expected to continue Monday and Tuesday but should be accompanied by wetting rains that dampen fire risk, with about a tenth of an inch of precipitation, Molina said.
    — Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026
  • Water in the morning deeply at the base of the plant using a soaker hose, avoiding wetting the leaves to prevent fungal diseases.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 7 July 2026
Definition of wetting
Verb
  • Security analysts speculate that many are willing to talk about their bribes to politicians, in hopes of reducing their sentences.
    — Mary Beth Sheridan, CNN Money, 25 July 2026
  • The local manufacturing requirement is intended to strengthen Greece’s domestic defence sector while reducing dependence on foreign suppliers over the long term.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 25 July 2026
Definition of reducing
Verb
  • Or would that strategy end up weakening the forces tasked with holding the line against Russia?
    — Simon Shuster, The Atlantic, 24 July 2026
  • Sleep deprivation makes leaders less perceptive and human, weakening their presence and effectiveness with people, whereas quality sleep is essential for fostering authentic, influential leadership.
    — Julian Hayes II, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
Definition of weakening
Verb
  • That increase was aimed at dampening the impact on consumer prices from higher oil prices due to the US-Iran war and subsequent interruption of oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 23 July 2026
  • The lifestyle guru, Reese Witherspoon, Katie Holmes, and Hailey Bieber have all been leaning into the breezy button-down shirt trend, which makes for such a chic swap for basic, look-dampening tees.
    — Olivia Cigliano, InStyle, 20 July 2026
Definition of dampening
Verb
  • Sam Lambert laid down a safety squeeze, deadening the ball in front of the plate and scoring Balls to trim the lead to 3-1.
    — Dave Montrose, The Orlando Sentinel, 16 May 2026
  • Another suggestion was requiring special sound-deadening balls, currently available, that lower the decibel levels considerably.
    — John Ramos, CBS News, 16 Mar. 2026
Definition of deadening
Verb
  • That includes the wound draining fluid, having a foul odor or getting bigger.
    — Sarah Tomlinson, The Conversation, 24 July 2026
  • How To Care For Onions In Pots Onions prefer well-draining, loamy, and slightly acidic to neutral soil, such as potting soil with compost mixed in.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 22 July 2026
Definition of draining
Verb
  • 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
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 27 Jul. 2026.

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