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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

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2
as in dulled
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 slow
not having or showing an ability to absorb ideas readily our dog is kind of dim, but very sweet-natured

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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

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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
Per a tradition established last year by the Broadway League, all Broadway theaters will dim their lights once a quarter in recognition of prominent members of the theater community who have passed. — Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2026 Scientists have struggled to explain this dimming for some time, but finally a team of researchers from Syracuse University may have solved this puzzle. — Robert Lea, Space.com, 1 Sep. 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
  • Visible, timely payments delivered through channels customers already trust, consistently outperform vague bill credits customers barely notice.
    — Amber Mullaney, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026
  • According to Morrison, the best candidates skip posts with vague or bloated requirements.
    — Audrey Payne, CNBC, 14 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
  • Floor-to-ceiling glass walls let a lot of light into the space, which is decorated in tones of gray, with dark wood herring bone floors in the bar.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 Sep. 2026
  • In its concluding episodes, the HBO juggernaut thrust an unearned heel turn on its female lead, rendered its climactic battle so dark viewers couldn’t see it, and ended over 70 hours of buildup with a rando on the Iron Throne.
    — Rafael Motamayor, Vulture, 15 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

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diluting
dim
dim bulb
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Cite this Entry

“Dim.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dim. Accessed 16 Sep. 2026.

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