1
as in holes
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in reductions
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in reduces
to make smaller in amount, volume, or extent
hopefully this vacation won't dent our bank account too much
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dents
Daniel Lempres, Sacbee.com, 7 Apr. 2026
After two of my three test trips, small dents had appeared in the shell.
—Charley Ward, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Apr. 2026
This can include scratches, dents, chipped paint and even mismatched units if your warranty coverage leads to a replacement that doesn’t match your other appliances.
—Dan Simms, USA Today, 23 Mar. 2026
When golf-ball-sized hail and 60 mph winds slammed the east coast of Florida in May, Chris Jadin came home to a truck covered in dents and glass all over the floor of his house, his skylight shattered by the falling ice.
—Scott Pham, CBS News, 20 Mar. 2026
Will the metal frame collect more dents and dings in education scenarios than plastic would?
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 10 Mar. 2026
Beater bars can be too harsh for wood flooring and cause surface scratches, while some vacuum wheels can cause dents due to their weight.
—Maria Sabella, The Spruce, 21 Feb. 2026
Fill in any deeper scratches or dents with a wax wood repair kit to match.
—Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 13 Feb. 2026
Uneven tire wear, low tire pressure, sidewall bulges or blisters and dents in wheel rims.
—Jim Gorzelany, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 30 Mar. 2026
The Red Wings’ penalty kill has been better on the whole this season, though an 0-for-3 showing certainly dents their numbers and drops them to 80 percent on the season.
—Max Bultman, New York Times, 10 Nov. 2025
The Lakers, like the Celtics, are tenants in their arena, which dents their ability to drive revenue from concerts and other events.
—Kurt Badenhausen, Sportico.com, 16 Oct. 2025
Whether this latest controversy dents MrBeast's online empire or prompts wider scrutiny of influencer accountability remains to be seen.
—Jordan King, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Aug. 2025
For example, if a falling tree branch breaks your windshield or hail dents your car, comprehensive coverage can pay for repairs.
—Brandi D. Addison, jsonline.com, 11 Aug. 2025
Noun
Inspectors will seek out all sidewalk cracks that are at least half an inch tall or more than an inch wide and all dents and defects that are two inches wide and one inch deep, according to the staff report.
—Daniel Lempres, Sacbee.com, 7 Apr. 2026
After two of my three test trips, small dents had appeared in the shell.
—Charley Ward, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Apr. 2026
This can include scratches, dents, chipped paint and even mismatched units if your warranty coverage leads to a replacement that doesn’t match your other appliances.
—Dan Simms, USA Today, 23 Mar. 2026
When golf-ball-sized hail and 60 mph winds slammed the east coast of Florida in May, Chris Jadin came home to a truck covered in dents and glass all over the floor of his house, his skylight shattered by the falling ice.
—Scott Pham, CBS News, 20 Mar. 2026
Will the metal frame collect more dents and dings in education scenarios than plastic would?
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 10 Mar. 2026
Beater bars can be too harsh for wood flooring and cause surface scratches, while some vacuum wheels can cause dents due to their weight.
—Maria Sabella, The Spruce, 21 Feb. 2026
Fill in any deeper scratches or dents with a wax wood repair kit to match.
—Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 13 Feb. 2026
Uneven tire wear, low tire pressure, sidewall bulges or blisters and dents in wheel rims.
—Jim Gorzelany, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
Verb
The richest man alive, Elon Musk, has countered that taxing every billionaire at 100% barely dents the $39 trillion national debt.
—Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 30 Mar. 2026
The Red Wings’ penalty kill has been better on the whole this season, though an 0-for-3 showing certainly dents their numbers and drops them to 80 percent on the season.
—Max Bultman, New York Times, 10 Nov. 2025
The Lakers, like the Celtics, are tenants in their arena, which dents their ability to drive revenue from concerts and other events.
—Kurt Badenhausen, Sportico.com, 16 Oct. 2025
Whether this latest controversy dents MrBeast's online empire or prompts wider scrutiny of influencer accountability remains to be seen.
—Jordan King, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Aug. 2025
For example, if a falling tree branch breaks your windshield or hail dents your car, comprehensive coverage can pay for repairs.
—Brandi D. Addison, jsonline.com, 11 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dents
Noun
-
Nelly Korda birdied her final two holes to shoot a 69 to move to 5 under and in second place, setting up a final pairing of friendly rivals.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
5 Apr. 2026
-
These small black beetles chew holes in leaves and stunt the plants.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The system also offers the potential for major cost reductions compared to other photoreforming approaches, as the reusable acid boosts hydrogen production rates.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Advocates warn the reductions could disrupt or cancel dozens of missions spanning planetary science, astrophysics and Earth observation — areas overseen by NASA's Science Mission Directorate.—
Samantha Mathewson,
Space.com,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Acidification reduces the pH of seawater, which also diminishes sound absorption, so the stain of ship’s engine noise spreads further, muffling the songs of humpbacks and the codas of sperm whales.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Each option reduces overall productivity, cutting supplies of basic foods, feed for livestock and key ingredients used in a wide range of food products.—
Aya S. Chacar,
Fortune,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Guerrilla groups such as Colombia’s National Liberation Army (ELN), dissident FARC factions and Venezuelan criminal organizations operate across mining zones, frequently imposing taxes on miners and controlling pits through violence.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Because these pits are often discarded by food processing facilities and tend to cost less than raw nuts, some commercial producers use them to flavor their almond extract.—
Emily Saladino,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Property valuations can vary, and that means homeowners typically see a range of increases or decreases in their tax statements.—
Frederick Melo,
Twin Cities,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Most of the severe declines happened in rural areas, although urban counties like San Francisco and Los Angeles also saw decreases.—
Kristen Hwang,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Medical organizations like the American Dental Association criticized the move in certain states to ban the mineral, which helps prevent cavities and strengthens teeth.—
Sara Moniuszko,
USA Today,
2 Apr. 2026
-
That’s exactly where most cavities develop, says Nguyen.—
Anne Ewbank,
Popular Science,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The first three months of the year saw disparate trends in violence within the Chicago Police Department’s five patrol areas, records show, with a mixed bag of increases and further drops.—
Sam Charles,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Apr. 2026
-
The morning began with moderate losses for Wall Street following drops for Asian and European stocks.—
Stan Choe,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
When the band sits too high, the shoulder straps bear excess weight, often leading to deep indentations or tension.—
Malana VanTyler
March 20,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
20 Mar. 2026
-
Even the faintest scratches and indentations become legible.—
Ryan Brennan,
Kansas City Star,
9 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dents.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dents. Accessed 11 Apr. 2026.
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