as in deadened
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1
as in damped
to make or become slightly or moderately wet
dampen a paper towel with water and use it to clean up the mess
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in reduced
to reduce or weaken in strength or feeling
the oppressive heat dampened our spirits
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3
as in undermined
to deprive of emotional or intellectual vitality
nothing could dampen their enthusiasm
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dampened
Hanna Ziady, CNN Money, 27 Mar. 2026
The company’s hiring spree comes amid a dampened US labor market, as more companies pursue layoffs and pause hiring, often citing AI as the reason.
—J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 22 Mar. 2026
Cuba, which was already facing an energy crisis and a dampened economy prior to the ouster, is now on the brink of a major humanitarian crisis.
—Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 26 Feb. 2026
Wipe thoroughly around the rubber seal with the dampened cloth, paying extra attention to any folds, seams, and hidden crevices.
—Caroline Lubinsky, Martha Stewart, 21 Feb. 2026
Make sure the filter is not too wet, just slightly dampened.
—Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 7 Feb. 2026
Finish Planting Cover the seeds with more dampened potting mix and then gently firm again.
—Kerry Michaels, The Spruce, 21 Jan. 2026
His promise to deliver another standout season comes amid a dampened economy and ongoing geopolitical turmoil, which are denting the performance of fashion and luxury.
—Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 13 Jan. 2026
Above her, the nightingale hit the tree trunk with a dampened thud.
—Hazlitt, 19 Nov. 2025
Camila Domonoske, NPR, 22 Apr. 2026
Cat hair regularly settles on my desk, keyboard, and glass dresser top, and a few swipes with this duster (dampened) picks it all up.
—Kayla Blanton, PEOPLE, 21 Apr. 2026
Fiesta officially kicked off on Thursday but a cold front and rain have dampened the annual festivities.
—Megan Rodriguez, San Antonio Express-News, 20 Apr. 2026
But the loss of Kevin Fiala for the season dampened Panarin’s impact.
—Andrew Knoll, Daily News, 18 Apr. 2026
The Iran war has dampened the mood at China’s biggest trade fair, with exporters fearing the conflict will further dent demand for their products as economic growth slows.
—Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 17 Apr. 2026
Using a cloth that has been dampened with warm water, remove the remaining shaving cream.
—Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 13 Apr. 2026
Wipe windows down with a washcloth slightly dampened with the vinegar-water solution.
—Jamie Cuccinelli, Martha Stewart, 11 Apr. 2026
Within any chimp group, violence flares occasionally — but it is usually dampened by long friendships.
—Ryan Brennan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 Apr. 2026
Adjective
The Kremlin’s economic woes are multiplying with its years-long war, which has added to government debt and dampened business investment.
—Hanna Ziady, CNN Money, 27 Mar. 2026
The company’s hiring spree comes amid a dampened US labor market, as more companies pursue layoffs and pause hiring, often citing AI as the reason.
—J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 22 Mar. 2026
Cuba, which was already facing an energy crisis and a dampened economy prior to the ouster, is now on the brink of a major humanitarian crisis.
—Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 26 Feb. 2026
Wipe thoroughly around the rubber seal with the dampened cloth, paying extra attention to any folds, seams, and hidden crevices.
—Caroline Lubinsky, Martha Stewart, 21 Feb. 2026
Make sure the filter is not too wet, just slightly dampened.
—Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 7 Feb. 2026
Finish Planting Cover the seeds with more dampened potting mix and then gently firm again.
—Kerry Michaels, The Spruce, 21 Jan. 2026
His promise to deliver another standout season comes amid a dampened economy and ongoing geopolitical turmoil, which are denting the performance of fashion and luxury.
—Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 13 Jan. 2026
Above her, the nightingale hit the tree trunk with a dampened thud.
—Hazlitt, 19 Nov. 2025
Verb
That cautionary note dampened Wall Street's enthusiasm and erased the stock's bump.
—Camila Domonoske, NPR, 22 Apr. 2026
Cat hair regularly settles on my desk, keyboard, and glass dresser top, and a few swipes with this duster (dampened) picks it all up.
—Kayla Blanton, PEOPLE, 21 Apr. 2026
Fiesta officially kicked off on Thursday but a cold front and rain have dampened the annual festivities.
—Megan Rodriguez, San Antonio Express-News, 20 Apr. 2026
But the loss of Kevin Fiala for the season dampened Panarin’s impact.
—Andrew Knoll, Daily News, 18 Apr. 2026
The Iran war has dampened the mood at China’s biggest trade fair, with exporters fearing the conflict will further dent demand for their products as economic growth slows.
—Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 17 Apr. 2026
Using a cloth that has been dampened with warm water, remove the remaining shaving cream.
—Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 13 Apr. 2026
Wipe windows down with a washcloth slightly dampened with the vinegar-water solution.
—Jamie Cuccinelli, Martha Stewart, 11 Apr. 2026
Within any chimp group, violence flares occasionally — but it is usually dampened by long friendships.
—Ryan Brennan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dampened
Verb
-
Start with a clean cloth damped with plain water.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
9 Dec. 2025
-
Use a cotton ball damped with rubbing alcohol and rub over the area.—
Tiffany Acosta,
AZCentral.com,
15 Oct. 2025
Verb
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But since the war began, traffic has been reduced to a trickle, with just 154 vessels recorded crossing in the entire month of March, according to Kpler data.—
Henrik Pettersson,
CNN Money,
29 Apr. 2026
-
While there is no question that KU Med is at fault for failing to disinfect the heater-cooler devices, Johnson said, LivaNova should have ensured that the hospital was strictly following its instructions for use, which would have reduced the risk of bacteria spreading.—
Judy L. Thomas,
Kansas City Star,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
In a statement, District Attorney Alvin Bragg said prosecutors had interviewed dozens of witnesses and conducted an in-depth document review that significantly undermined the case presented at trial.—
Molly Crane-Newman,
New York Daily News,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Trump’s attempts to interfere with the Fed’s decision-making has sparked concern the central bank’s credibility post-Powell is already being undermined.—
Tristan Bove,
Fortune,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
At least, this time, unlike the December 2023 inspection, only natural juices moistened the ham and the rice looked insect-free.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
11 Mar. 2026
-
For any type of cabinet, a soft cloth lightly moistened with soapy water should do the job effectively.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Others report their taste buds feeling dulled.—
Helen Carefoot,
Flow Space,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Because Uncle Sam has dulled the economic incentive to create the next breakthrough.—
Elaine Parker,
Oc Register,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Braun drained the shot and pointed at his former Nuggets teammate.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
25 Apr. 2026
-
The Lakers were cooked, the playoff magic finally drained from a team without its two leading scorers, a team in the process of making every conceivable mistake, reality bouncing off their feet and ricocheting off their hips and falling out of their hands.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Sprinkle an inch or two on top of the soil, then wet it with a hose to prevent the paper from blowing around.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Blot — don’t rub — and avoid over-wetting the mattress, which can lead to mold growth if moisture gets trapped inside.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Sacbee.com,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Queta dominated this same 76ers team back in March (27 points, 17 rebounds, three blocks), but fouling issues have blunted his impact so far in this series.—
Zack Cox,
Hartford Courant,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Sitting in with a five-man defence, along with two defensive midfielders in Romeo Lavia and Moises Caiceido, meant that any effort to press high up the pitch was inevitably blunted.—
Conor O'Neill,
New York Times,
22 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dampened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dampened. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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