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
Part of the reason the ThinkPad T14 Gen 7's battery lasts so long, though, is its dim screen. — Marshall Honorof, PC Magazine, 3 Oct. 2026 As ongoing offensive line struggles and continued pass coverage breakdowns hampered efforts, Washington faced dim prospects entering Week 3’s showdown with the defending Super Bowl champion Seahawks. — Mike Jones, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2026
Verb
The lights dimmed, and there before them was Artificial, Luca Guadagnino’s provocative new film about the birth of OpenAI and two of its founders, Sam Altman and Ilya Sutskever. — David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 5 Oct. 2026 Manufacturers often fail to disclose basic details, like the size of the LEDs, the number of dimming zones, or accurate contrast and brightness measurements. — ArsTechnica, 2 Oct. 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
  • Around them stand darkened houses, and uncollected trash piles up on the street.
    — Will Freeman, Foreign Affairs, 17 Sep. 2026
  • 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
Definition of darkened
Adjective
  • Many of the strongest initial applications are the dull, dirty, and dangerous tasks that go unfilled, contribute to injuries, and pull people away from higher-value judgment and exception handling.
    — Navin Chaddha, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2026
  • But in the years between Logic1000’s in-your-face debut EP and 2024’s duller, more careful Mother, her solo work became less singular.
    — Cassidy Sollazzo, Pitchfork, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of dull
Adjective
  • Stipe added some vague details about the album’s politics (or lack thereof) as well.
    — Alex Suskind, Pitchfork, 13 Oct. 2026
  • After months of last-minute cancellations and vague statements about Mike Love‘s health, the Beach Boys returned to the stage Saturday night at Cincinnati’s PNC Pavilion for their first public show since July.
    — Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of vague
Adjective
  • On winding roads, its model-specific suspension tuning and focus on weight reduction translate into exceptional body control at speed without becoming brittle or overly rigid in slower, more technical sections.
    — Bradley Iger, Robb Report, 16 Oct. 2026
  • In particular, he was asked about Netflix’s slower growth (2% year-over-year growth in user engagement during the first half in 2026).
    — Matt Donnelly, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of slow
Verb
  • What resonated most for me, though, was witnessing conversations where depth of understanding unveiled perspectives previously obscured.
    — Pravir Malik, Forbes.com, 16 Oct. 2026
  • While the planets in our solar system are still visible, sky glow obscures more distant objects, such as fainter stars.
    — Chris McMullen, Space.com, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of obscure
Adjective
  • Nordic drama is still often associated internationally with crime, darker tones and a certain visual restraint.
    — Marta Balaga, Variety, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Campaign images show close-fitting cycling jerseys paired with dark shorts, with prints ranging from yellow-green graphics to blue-and-white patterns.
    — Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of dark
Adjective
  • The finish is a semi-matte—smooth, satin, and shine-free—that looks looks like velvet on the lips.
    — Kiana Murden, Vogue, 6 Oct. 2026
  • 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
Definition of matte
Adjective
  • While the planets in our solar system are still visible, sky glow obscures more distant objects, such as fainter stars.
    — Chris McMullen, Space.com, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Pulse, the faintest signal tested, produced 50 to 100 millivolts.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 15 Oct. 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 20 Oct. 2026.

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