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
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
Phillip Valys, Sun Sentinel, 4 June 2026
Prospects for a lasting deal between Iran and the US that addresses Washington’s security interests and allows Tehran to prosper are dim because there’s no win-win formula.
—Mohammed Sergie, semafor.com, 4 June 2026
Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 15 June 2026
The decline of the white-collar job Molly Fischer on dimming prospects for the educated.
—David Remnick, New Yorker, 15 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for dim
Adjective
At 10 feet, the ceiling of The Wilder’s dim drinking den is a perfect playground to practice before the event, tall enough to windmill bar spoons between his fingers, toss vodka skyward and catch bottles behind his back.
—Phillip Valys, Sun Sentinel, 4 June 2026
Prospects for a lasting deal between Iran and the US that addresses Washington’s security interests and allows Tehran to prosper are dim because there’s no win-win formula.
—Mohammed Sergie, semafor.com, 4 June 2026
Verb
It is lit with joy, with purpose, with a fierce kind of love that refuses to dim.
—Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 15 June 2026
The decline of the white-collar job Molly Fischer on dimming prospects for the educated.
—David Remnick, New Yorker, 15 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for dim
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dim
Adjective
-
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
-
In the darkened foyer, Ember contemplated this unassuming bit of paper, momentarily paralyzed by a mixture of dread and excitement stirred together, an overpowering sensation that oozed from the crown of her head, down the length of her body, then hardened, like a soft golden resin becoming solid.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Agathe finds her boss’s remarks dull, but more or less shares these views.—
Hannah Gold,
New Yorker,
17 June 2026
-
Dish soap strips away the protective wax and can actually dull or damage the paint over time, leaving it more vulnerable to scratches and fading.—
Melissa Locker,
Southern Living,
16 June 2026
Adjective
-
If the team rewards instant replies, unclear meetings, vague ownership, and constant pings, the system will pull everyone back into tempo.—
Gerald J. Leonard,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026
-
Authorities say Boelter, an out-of-work evangelical with conservative views and vague grievances over COVID-19 vaccines, left survivors with life-altering injuries and triggered Minnesota’s largest manhunt before his capture.—
Tim Sullivan,
Los Angeles Times,
11 June 2026
Adjective
-
The Virgo moon invites you to take a slower pace today.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
20 June 2026
-
The Targaryen civil war has been a bit of a slow burn so far, though both sides of the family have suffered major casualties.—
Tracy Brown,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2026
Verb
-
The only question now is how much of the public's time and money the Mayor is willing to waste to obscure the numerous poor decisions her administration and the County have made for decades.—
Manuel Bojorquez,
CBS News,
16 June 2026
-
While many parts of Android 17 will be ignored or obscured when the OS expands beyond Google phones, the new security and safety features will be nearly universal.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
16 June 2026
Adjective
-
But the true story behind it is a dark, sad and overall pretty confusing one.—
Nick Miller,
New York Times,
17 June 2026
-
Trudeau embraced the Southern California vibes and wore a green T-shirt with black shorts and a pair of dark sunglasses.—
Tracy Wright,
FOXNews.com,
16 June 2026
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
Adjective
-
However, some observers have reported hearing faint crackling or hissing noises during intense displays.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
15 June 2026
-
June's new moon is finally upon us, bringing with it a handful of precious dark nights in which to explore the wonders of the starry sky, before the familiar sight of the waxing lunar crescent returns to hide fainter targets from view.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
14 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dim.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dim. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
