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 matte
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
Ben Casselman, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2025
Instead, in healthy people, the pain centers in their brains remain dim.
—Peter Ubel, Forbes.com, 26 Mar. 2025
Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 8 May 2025
Every half hour or so, the lights dim and a documentary plays on the TV.
—Iona Brannon, AFAR Media, 6 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for dim
Adjective
Still, there is little sign so far that their dim outlook has translated into a pullback in actual spending.
—Ben Casselman, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2025
Instead, in healthy people, the pain centers in their brains remain dim.
—Peter Ubel, Forbes.com, 26 Mar. 2025
Verb
The exterior lights of movie theater marquees, the Water Tower and Palmolive Building — dim since a Feb. 1 order — were once again lit in celebration.
—Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 8 May 2025
Every half hour or so, the lights dim and a documentary plays on the TV.
—Iona Brannon, AFAR Media, 6 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for dim
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dim
Adjective
-
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
-
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
-
Some vague stripes run down its spine, blurring together toward its tail.—
Aspen Pflughoeft,
Miami Herald,
9 May 2025
-
The instructions were vague and didn’t have many helpful illustrations.—
Kate Puhala,
Better Homes & Gardens,
9 May 2025
Adjective
-
France One of my upcoming podcast guests, Mary Alice Duff, decided to swap the hustle of life in Philadelphia for the slower pace of southern France.—
Cepee Tabibian,
CNBC,
18 May 2025
-
Combs Grows Frustrated Combs was animated during Ventura’s cross-examination, appearing somewhat frustrated with the tedious, slow pace that his attorney was taking when quizzing Ventura.—
Cheyenne Roundtree,
Rolling Stone,
18 May 2025
Verb
-
Again the water spray obscured what happened there just before the twister lost its power.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
10 May 2025
-
Derrick White and Jrue Holiday were almost good enough to obscure the absence of Brown and Tatum in the game’s final 20 minutes.—
Bill Speros,
Boston Herald,
7 May 2025
Adjective
-
Harry, meanwhile, channeled the country theme of the show by wearing his cowboy hat with dark jeans and a gray shirt over a black top.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
People.com,
10 May 2025
-
Large amounts of larvae were in dark crevices inside the homes, including under appliances or furniture.—
Nicole Blanchard,
Idaho Statesman,
10 May 2025
Adjective
-
This Week: May 19-25, 2025 As the moon continues to wane from being full last week, the night skies darken enough to find faint stars and constellations.—
Jamie Carter,
Forbes.com,
19 May 2025
-
It’s filled with no-nonsense retinol and has a faint medicinal smell.—
Mary Honkus,
Glamour,
16 May 2025
Adjective
-
Ratajkowski has been fighting the stereotype of the dumb model from the beginning of her career.—
Daniel Jackson,
Allure,
18 July 2017
-
Ninety nine percent of all NFL players are explicitly not dumb.—
Andy Benoit,
The MMQB,
10 July 2017
Verb
-
The bottom line: The clouds hanging over the economy are darkening and gathering, economists say.—
Laurent Belsie,
Christian Science Monitor,
2 May 2025
-
As the sky darkened and duck calls filled the sky, their number appeared as a shadowed cloud approaching the rice fields.—
Lizz Schumer,
People.com,
1 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dim.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dim. Accessed 24 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share