1
as in darkened
being without light or without much light
a dim, windowless room in the basement of the house
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in matte
lacking a surface luster or gloss
over time, exposure to ultraviolet light will make bright pigments turn dim
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3
as in vague
not seen or understood clearly
have only a dim knowledge of the subject
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4
as in dumb
not having or showing an ability to absorb ideas readily
our dog is kind of dim, but very sweet-natured
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as in to obscure
to make dark, dim, or indistinct
the storm clouds dimmed our view of the city from the airplane
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dim
Phil Plait, Scientific American, 12 June 2025
There’s a second planet closer to the host star that’s hidden by the black disk in the image, above, called a coronagraph, which the Webb Telescope uses to block out the star’s light, making its search for dim planets easier.
—Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 12 June 2025
Dan Perry, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 June 2025
That's just an appetizer CT high school’s joy in graduation dimmed by classmate taken by ICE.
—State Rep. Matt Blumenthal, Hartford Courant, 13 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for dim
Adjective
And in general, these objects are so dim that even nearby ones can elude detection.
—Phil Plait, Scientific American, 12 June 2025
There’s a second planet closer to the host star that’s hidden by the black disk in the image, above, called a coronagraph, which the Webb Telescope uses to block out the star’s light, making its search for dim planets easier.
—Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 12 June 2025
Verb
But hopes for a human-first tech policy are already dimming.
—Dan Perry, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 June 2025
That's just an appetizer CT high school’s joy in graduation dimmed by classmate taken by ICE.
—State Rep. Matt Blumenthal, Hartford Courant, 13 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for dim
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dim
Adjective
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This Lulus bag is primarily matte and clean, with just a tinge of silver on the top handle and cutesy bow.—
Alyssa Grabinski,
People.com,
22 Feb. 2025
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To get this result, Dempsey recommends the Dior Addict Lip Tint for its transfer-proof, semi-matte finish.—
Loren Savini,
Allure,
22 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Brooks said Act 372 was vague and imposed problems on librarians and bookstore owners trying to avoid prosecution.—
Brett Barrouquere,
Arkansas Online,
27 June 2025
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All of these legal tests, however, are quite vague.—
Ian Millhiser,
Vox,
27 June 2025
Adjective
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Ratajkowski has been fighting the stereotype of the dumb model from the beginning of her career.—
Daniel Jackson,
Allure,
18 July 2017
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Ninety nine percent of all NFL players are explicitly not dumb.—
Andy Benoit,
The MMQB,
10 July 2017
Verb
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Norris says the location is an especially difficult terrain to conduct a search in because the trees and shrubbery can obscure the view of where bullets are coming from.—
Brittney Melton,
NPR,
30 June 2025
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Her work whispers, glimmers, and unsettles—not to obscure the past, but to seed something new from its soil.—
Lee Sharrock,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2025
Adjective
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My challenge was to make the sequel scarier, and darker.—
Sweta Kaushal,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2025
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Prioritize sleep quality: Creating a consistent bedtime routine and keeping your bedroom cool and dark may help improve sleep.—
Stella Bard,
Health,
27 June 2025
Adjective
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If that happens, a person may become confused and dizzy, and feel faint.—
Katia Hetter,
CNN Money,
19 June 2025
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Use your mobile phone to scan the skies, as the camera is great at picking up faint auroras before your eyes spot them.—
Daisy Dobrijevic,
Space.com,
19 June 2025
Adjective
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Juicy, tender ribs are hard to beat, and cooking them low and slow is the key to achieving that irresistible fall-off-the-bone texture and deep, savory flavor.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
23 June 2025
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The music is, for the most part, quiet and slow, often hovering at the edge of silence.—
Alex Ross,
New Yorker,
23 June 2025
Verb
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Scientists had expected that radiation from the magnetic field of Uranus would darken the trailing hemispheres of its moons, but an analysis of the surfaces of Uranus’ four major moons — Ariel, Umbriel, Titania and Oberon — found the opposite.—
Jamie Carter,
Forbes.com,
11 June 2025
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While the Village itself skirted much physical damage, its storefronts have stood empty for weeks upon weeks, their windows darkened.—
Kate Nishimura,
Sourcing Journal,
29 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dim.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dim. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.
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