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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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
Anthony Wood, Space.com, 14 Mar. 2026
The simple physical sense of being in the world, two men, father and son, seated at a table in a quiet New York restaurant, only the dim buzz of background noise, a rarity since the average establishment in the city blared music from overhead speakers.
—Literary Hub, 9 Mar. 2026
John Towfighi, CNN Money, 20 Mar. 2026
Theater lights should be dimmed in his honor.
—Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 19 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dim
Adjective
The vast majority of these galaxies are too dim to spot with the naked eye, though a telescope with an aperture of at least 6 inches can reveal some of their ancient light, especially when viewed from a dark-sky location.
—Anthony Wood, Space.com, 14 Mar. 2026
The simple physical sense of being in the world, two men, father and son, seated at a table in a quiet New York restaurant, only the dim buzz of background noise, a rarity since the average establishment in the city blared music from overhead speakers.
—Literary Hub, 9 Mar. 2026
Verb
Uncertainty about the duration of the conflict, and the prospect of higher-for-longer interest rates to combat inflation, are dimming the outlook for stocks.
—John Towfighi, CNN Money, 20 Mar. 2026
Theater lights should be dimmed in his honor.
—Baz Bamigboye, Deadline, 19 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dim
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dim
Adjective
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As scientists often find darkened teeth in ancient burials, other factors can contribute to a black appearance, notably the chewing of betel leaves.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
14 Feb. 2026
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Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui posted a video to X over the weekend, showing a dazzling view of auroras spreading like a tall blanket over the darkened Earth below.—
Josh Dinner,
Space.com,
15 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The attack came hours after Saree signaled in a vague statement Friday that the rebels would join the war.—
Samy Magdy,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Mar. 2026
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These designations are, first and foremost, vague.—
Chris Wiley,
New Yorker,
28 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Affecting the first two receptors means retatrutide may help suppress appetite and slow digestion, which can help users feel full after eating even smaller meals.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
28 Mar. 2026
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Long train rides and other slow travel between places offer exactly the meditative in-between space your nervous system is craving.—
Kirah Tabourn,
Condé Nast Traveler,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Light pollution can obscure a comet’s glow, so use a light pollution map, or consider dark-sky getaways like the Oregon Outback or Big Bend, to enhance the show.—
Stephanie Vermillion,
Outside,
23 Mar. 2026
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Frankly, it’s been hard to keep up—and the BlackRock CEO wrote that the drama and uncertainty threatened by day-to-day headlines may be obscuring longer-term trends.—
Eleanor Pringle,
Fortune,
23 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Bathrooms are smartly designed to fit large shower-baths into a relatively compact space; tiling is dark and mirrored with pleasing gold accents.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
25 Mar. 2026
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Brown, a mental health advocate, has also previously mentioned Moore as a key person who was there for him during dark times.—
Tom Ignudo,
CBS News,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The employees of Rockin’ Grandma’s roam the grounds of the retreat site, which boasts multiple structures, and are visited by a series of guest speakers whose lectures range from the merely dull to the truly Dada.—
Inkoo Kang,
New Yorker,
27 Mar. 2026
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Charvet’s ethos is about discretion, but the clothes are not dull.—
Marisa Meltzer,
Vanity Fair,
24 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Like Colleen, Giurgis’ adaptation is allergic to the faintest traces of sincerity or urgency.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
31 Mar. 2026
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The Winnipeg Jets came to Ball Arena and kept their faint playoff hopes alive with a 4-2 victory against the league-leading Avalanche.—
Corey Masisak,
Denver Post,
29 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Rock and pop are often unsophisticated, or downright dumb.—
Jed Gottlieb,
Boston Herald,
26 Mar. 2026
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Urban infrastructure, after all, is still pretty dumb—forcing robotaxis to be designed around transit systems that are decades old.—
Nicholas Gordon,
Fortune,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dim.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dim. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
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