Synonyms of dent

dent 1 of 2

noun

1

as in hole

a sunken area forming a separate space

there was a big dent in the car's hood where something had hit it

Synonyms & Similar Words

• hole
• pit
• cavity
• dint
• furrow
• indentation
• hollow
• concavity
• depression
• ditch
• recess
• impression
• bowl
• valley
• pocket
• trench
• cave
• excavation
• groove
• burrow
• indenture
• basin
• gouge
• crater
• gutter
• cavern
• dimple
• opening
• socket
• alcove
• imprint
• trough
• cleft
• vacuum
• nook
• niche
• pothole
• water hole
• notch
• chasm
• void
• well
• abyss
• alveolus
• borehole
• sinkhole
• wallow
• vacuity
• gulf
• posthole
• chuckhole

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• projection
• bulge
• protrusion
• rise
• convexity
• camber
• hill
• protuberance
• mound
• tumor
• swelling
• jut
• bump
• swell
• lump
• hump
• bunch
• pimple

2

as in decrease

the amount by which something is lessened

a little belt-tightening would at least make a small dent in our credit-card debt

Synonyms & Similar Words

• decrease
• reduction
• drop
• decline
• shrinkage
• diminution
• loss
• slump
• decrement
• depletion
• depression
• fall
• falloff
• abatement
• diminishment
• drop-off
• cut
• downturn
• step-down
• deduction
• slip
• subtraction
• cutback
• curtailment
• retrenchment
• shortening

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• increase
• rise
• boost
• gain
• raise
• increment
• enlargement
• addition
• accumulation
• uptick
• supplement
• extension
• accretion
• continuation
• step-up
• accrual
• upturn
• upswing
• uptrend

dent

2 of 2

verb

ˈdent 

as in to reduce

to make smaller in amount, volume, or extent

hopefully this vacation won't dent our bank account too much

Synonyms & Similar Words

• reduce
• decrease
• lower
• deplete
• diminish
• ease
• lessen
• minimize
• cut
• slash
• abate
• downsize
• dwindle
• drop
• knock down
• pare
• compress
• shrink
• downscale
• curtail
• trim
• whittle
• crop
• cut down
• nick
• retrench
• cut back
• dock
• constrict
• condense
• de-escalate
• shorten
• truncate
• deflate
• abridge
• prune
• clip
• contract
• modify
• moderate
• modulate
• qualify
• abbreviate

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• increase
• expand
• raise
• boost
• augment
• enlarge
• amplify
• swell
• escalate
• inflate
• extend
• prolong
• add (to)
• blow up
• dilate
• elongate
• lengthen
• aggrandize
• supplement
• enhance
• complement
• distend
• intensify
• heighten
• protract
• redouble

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of dent

Noun

Rust on two tomatillo sauce cans and rust with dents on five creamy mushroom sauce cans drew Stop Sales on all seven cans. — David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 15 Sep. 2026

Law enforcement agencies have partnered with the company to speed up investigations by having access to a database that logs vehicle information like license plate, make, model, dents or modifications. — Irene Wright, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2026

Verb

The detention of Brian Mundubile and Makebi Zulu on Thursday risks clouding Lusaka’s credentials as a relatively stable southern African democracy and denting investor confidence in Africa’s second-largest copper producer. — Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 28 Aug. 2026

The facility had dented cans of olives, tomato sauce and artichokes. — Sacbee.com, 28 Aug. 2026