DENTS Synonyms: 177 Similar and Opposite Words

dents 1 of 2

noun

plural of dent

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

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

dents

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of dent

as in reduces

to make smaller in amount, volume, or extent hopefully this vacation won't dent our bank account too much

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 dents

Noun

When shopping for apples, choose fruits that are firm and free from bruises and dents. — Jillian Kubala, HEALTH, 18 Sep. 2026 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 The iconic desert cruiser turns out to be just a chunk of rubber and metal with believable scratches and dents. — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 8 Sep. 2026 Address dents, holes, and scratches before priming; paint will not hide major surface defects. — Kristina McGuirk, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Aug. 2026 Tracks Check that the tracks on both sides of the door are properly aligned and free of dents or debris. — Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 28 Aug. 2026 Regularly inspect your spatulas for any sign of wear, including loose components, cracks, scratches or dents. — Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 24 Aug. 2026 There was a closet full of phones people had thrown at the wall and dents in the drywall nobody ever explained. — Jeff Rabhan, Rolling Stone, 14 Aug. 2026

Verb

The shaky outing continued Sasaki’s post-breakthrough slide, but the setback barely dents the Dodgers’ commanding division cushion, with San Diego still eight games back in the standings. — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 27 June 2026 No quantity of houses or yachts dents it. — Douglas P. McCormick, Fortune, 23 June 2026 What happened next haunts the dreams, dents the bravura of every New Yorker. — David Remnick, New Yorker, 11 June 2026 The growth further dents the case for an interest rate cut, as US monetary policymakers discuss possibly raising the cost of borrowing. — J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 2 June 2026 Which is harder — landing a human on the moon or hitting a home run that dents the top of a foul pole in a major-league game? — Jayson Stark, New York Times, 8 May 2026 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

The event features 36 holes of stroke play Saturday and Sunday, and then takes the top 64 and puts them in a single elimination match-play bracket that begins on Monday and ends with a 36-hole championship match on Thursday.

— Kels Dayton, Hartford Courant, 26 Sep. 2026
The plant’s interior pot has drainage holes, hidden in the cachepot, so your plant won’t drown and your hardwoods won’t get wrecked.

— Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Sep. 2026

Definition of holes

Verb

This creates a cleaner edge, makes mowing easier, and reduces competition between the tree and turf.

— Tricia Goss, Southern Living, 28 Sep. 2026
The plan also reduces investment in Central Maryland transit by approximately $360 million, or 12%, while shrinking the Baltimore region’s share of statewide transit investment from 34% to 30%.

— Brian O'Malley, Baltimore Sun, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of reduces

Noun

In a historic first, two olive ridley sea turtles crawled out of the sea within the second week of September and laid their eggs in pits of sand in Seal Beach and Huntington Beach.

— Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2026
The adult female lays its eggs beneath the skin of apples, leaving pits and dimples on the fruit.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 Sep. 2026

Definition of pits

Noun

The bill also gives some legal protection for school districts against financial penalties if their arts funding decreases as a result of factors beyond their control, such as the expiration of a grant.

— Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 28 Sep. 2026
The district reported decreases in the number of students who are low-income, English language learners or in temporary living situations.

— Kate Armanini, Chicago Tribune, 24 Sep. 2026

Definition of decreases

Noun

The current solution adds memory by wiring qubits to electromagnetic resonators, either as flat waveguide structures etched on the chip or three-dimensional microwave cavities.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 23 Sep. 2026
Bees go into forests to find natural nesting cavities, search for food or establish permanent colonies, according to the Xeres Society for Invertebrate Conservation.

— Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 20 Sep. 2026

Definition of cavities

Noun

Swift drops clues in all manners and the Swifties almost always unearth the meaning behind them.

— Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 28 Sep. 2026
With 41% of Americans still defaulting to hot, watch for whether that share drops as energy costs rise and cold-water messaging from brands and utilities increases.

— Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of drops

Noun

Some have indentations meant to gather rainwater, and some have multiple points of entry and egress, all of which the rats apparently appreciate.

— Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 20 Aug. 2026
Like the experimental teeth, the ones from Neanderthal archaeological sites had the same overlapping small fractures, shallow indentations, and shallow scratches.

— ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 2 June 2026