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

The engineers wrote their names using Sharpies on the places where robotic arms made dents in the vehicles. — Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 28 Oct. 2026

Another friend—a serious, thoughtful, dignified human being—all but set their hair on fire on social media to promote their book, but didn’t make a dent in sales. — Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2026

Verb

Yet, the 2027 MLB season will not be your typical season and will likely dent the Brewers’ chances of fully monetizing their World Series title. — Kurt Badenhausen, Sportico.com, 28 Oct. 2026

The group continues to see healthy prospects for jewelry, even though comparable growth in the division decelerated to 11 percent in the third quarter from 18 percent in the prior three months, as the slowdown in China dented sales at Qeelin. — Joelle Diderich, Footwear News, 22 Oct. 2026