Synonyms

dampen

American

[dam-puhn] / ˈdæm pən /

verb (used with object)

to make damp; moisten.

to dampen a sponge.
to dull or deaden; depress.

to dampen one's spirits.
damp.

verb (used without object)

to become damp.

dampen British

/ ˈdæmpən /

verb

to make or become damp
(tr) to stifle; deaden

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

dampener noun
undampened adjective

Etymology

Origin of dampen

First recorded in 1620–30; damp + -en ¹

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

That’s not to dampen the otherwise bullish tale spun above; it’s just a recognition that risk is almost never fully quashed.

From MarketWatch

“War is never good for civilian air travel, and the higher oil costs will also dampen demand,” he writes on Smartkarma.

From The Wall Street Journal

For now, MAS said the Singapore dollar nominal effective exchange rate—its policy tool it uses in place of interest rates—will continue to “dampen imported inflationary pressures.”

From The Wall Street Journal

Recurring support contracts and installed-base monetization can dampen earnings swings and support steadier free cash flow.

From MarketWatch

Big builders were among the companies bearing the brunt of dampened housing expectations on Wednesday: D.R.

From Barron's

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023