dim 1 of 2

adjective

ˈdim How to pronounce dim (audio)
Definition of dimnext
1
as in darkened
being without light or without much light a dim, windowless room in the basement of the house

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in dulled
lacking a surface luster or gloss over time, exposure to ultraviolet light will make bright pigments turn dim

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in vague
not seen or understood clearly have only a dim knowledge of the subject

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in slow
not having or showing an ability to absorb ideas readily our dog is kind of dim, but very sweet-natured

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

dim

2 of 2

verb

as in to obscure
to make dark, dim, or indistinct the storm clouds dimmed our view of the city from the airplane

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 dim
Adjective
Only a thin sliver of moon will escape Earth's umbra, appearing as a bright arc against an otherwise dim, rusty-red lunar disk. — Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 27 Aug. 2026 The Further, in other words, doesn’t just have to be a foggy, dim netherworld. — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 21 Aug. 2026
Verb
These zones adjust their brightness according to the content on screen, dimming darker areas while maintaining brightness in highlights. — New Atlas, 31 Aug. 2026 Bringing home a 65-inch 4K television equipped with discrete local dimming zones, high brightness output, and 144Hz VRR gaming acceleration, under $500, is an extraordinary value. — Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 31 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for dim
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dim
  1. darkened
  2. dull
  3. vague
  4. slow
  5. obscure
  6. dark
  7. matte
  8. faint
Adjective
  • This trend has been pretty pervasive among designer bags recently, with shoppers buying new Prada and Chanel bags with darkened leather to give them a used look, or sourcing vintage Celine bags with obvious signs of wear.
    — Irene Richardson, InStyle, 2 July 2026
  • She’s talked up her push to convert darkened streetlights, many of them stripped of their copper wire, to solar power.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2026
Definition of darkened
Adjective
  • Coach Sean McVay’s strategy of arriving the day before the game backfired and resulted in a dull performance by a team featuring some of the NFL’s biggest stars.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • If Khrzhanovsky’s goal was re-creating social and cultural conditions to capture drama at its purest, then the result merely proves Hitchcock’s refrain that drama is life with dull bits cut out.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, IndieWire, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of dull
Adjective
  • Occasionally, there is a vague resignation, but direct accountability is rare.
    — Brian O'Neill, The Conversation, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Find the point where judgment disappeared, ownership became vague or an old instruction remained available after its context changed.
    — Mani Padisetti, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of vague
Adjective
  • In fact, starting too early often has more downsides than taking it slow.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 5 Sep. 2026
  • But so far, the economy has grown at roughly 2% annually, slower than the gains during the Biden administration.
    — Josh Boak, Fortune, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of slow
Verb
  • Orwell was exploring the roles that euphemism, tangled syntax, and dying metaphors can play in obscuring the true intentions of a totalitarian state.
    — Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Last week, OpenAI began rolling out its latest model, Astra, which performs better but obscures more of its internal processes.
    — Brendan Ruberry, semafor.com, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of obscure
Adjective
  • As Florian Wirtz was substituted during Liverpool’s 2-2 opening day draw at Newcastle United, the German midfielder sat on the bench, retrieved a bottle of dark red liquid, and began to drink.
    — Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • In this version, the couple has moved from Chicago to London for a fresh start—bad things happened in Chicago—and the set features a wide town house with dark corners and William Morris wallpaper.
    — Anna Russell, New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of dark
Adjective
  • Its 85-inch QLED display features a highly matte anti-glare screen, so your art and movies look lifelike without annoying reflections.
    — Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 11 Mar. 2026
  • The long-wearing formula sets to a semi-matte finish that resists oil and humidity, too.
    — Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 26 Nov. 2025
Definition of matte
Adjective
  • Meanwhile, her cheeks and lips were accented with a faint swipe of peach blush and rose gloss, and her lashes were coated in black mascara, giving the overall look a refined appeal.
    — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Even as their faint rally began to flourish in the eighth inning, there was no credible reason to believe the ending would be any different this time.
    — Andrew Baggarly, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of faint

Phrases Containing dim

Browse Nearby Words

diluting
dim
dim bulb
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dim.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dim. Accessed 13 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of shofar

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Words from the 'Odyssey'

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
funny guinea pig in glasses reading a book
Challenging Words You Should Know Vol 2 Words to the wise
See All