1
as in damping
to make or become slightly or moderately wet
dampen a paper towel with water and use it to clean up the mess
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in reducing
to reduce or weaken in strength or feeling
the oppressive heat dampened our spirits
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in undermining
to deprive of emotional or intellectual vitality
nothing could dampen their enthusiasm
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dampening
One of San Francisco's busiest freeways remained shut down Saturday, creating major traffic delays and dampening business for some local restaurants and shops.
—
Da Lin, CBS News, 19 Apr. 2026
Build budgets that defend your savings without dampening your enthusiasm.
—Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 3 Apr. 2026
In addition to adding decorative flair to windows and doors, these multipurpose window treatments promote privacy and block light, with many designs offering temperature-regulating and sound-dampening qualities to boot.
—Nashia Baker, Architectural Digest, 31 Mar. 2026
But a shortage of foreign workers is dampening the mood.
—ABC News, 26 Mar. 2026
That change has brought layoffs and smaller travel budgets, both dampening San Jose’s conference and convention recovery, Bellisario said.
—Ethan Baron, Mercury News, 21 Mar. 2026
The rebound in the dollar could be dampening the appeal of gold.
—John Towfighi, CNN Money, 20 Mar. 2026
After each set of waves, the control room would repeat the test, only with the turbulence-dampening software turned on this time.
—Burkhard Bilger, New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2026
Currently, some of Europe’s best basketball teams (including Turkey’s Fenerbahçe Beko and Greece’s Olympiacos Piraeus) aren’t connected to its largest media markets, dampening ubiquitous continental interest in the sport and lowering its television value.
—Alex Sherman, CNBC, 26 Feb. 2026
Da Lin, CBS News, 19 Apr. 2026
Build budgets that defend your savings without dampening your enthusiasm.
—Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 3 Apr. 2026
In addition to adding decorative flair to windows and doors, these multipurpose window treatments promote privacy and block light, with many designs offering temperature-regulating and sound-dampening qualities to boot.
—Nashia Baker, Architectural Digest, 31 Mar. 2026
But a shortage of foreign workers is dampening the mood.
—ABC News, 26 Mar. 2026
That change has brought layoffs and smaller travel budgets, both dampening San Jose’s conference and convention recovery, Bellisario said.
—Ethan Baron, Mercury News, 21 Mar. 2026
The rebound in the dollar could be dampening the appeal of gold.
—John Towfighi, CNN Money, 20 Mar. 2026
After each set of waves, the control room would repeat the test, only with the turbulence-dampening software turned on this time.
—Burkhard Bilger, New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2026
Currently, some of Europe’s best basketball teams (including Turkey’s Fenerbahçe Beko and Greece’s Olympiacos Piraeus) aren’t connected to its largest media markets, dampening ubiquitous continental interest in the sport and lowering its television value.
—Alex Sherman, CNBC, 26 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dampening
Verb
-
Late last year, former President Jair Bolsonaro endorsed his son Flavio as the right’s candidate, damping investor expectations that Sao Paulo Governor Tarcisio de Freitas would gain broader backing.—
Giovanna Bellotti Azevedo,
Bloomberg,
7 Apr. 2026
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While your seed starting mix mustn't fully dry out, keeping it overly wet and soggy can lead to damping off and other issues that will kill your seedlings.—
Alexandra Jones,
The Spruce,
6 Apr. 2026
Verb
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MacRumors thinks this could end up reducing the thickness of the iPhone’s display stack while improving brightness and minimizing power use.—
Will McCurdy,
PC Magazine,
25 Apr. 2026
-
The Airhart ethos is focused on reducing the cognitive drain on the pilot.—
David Szondy
April 25,
New Atlas,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
While the court technically kept Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act intact, the ruling contributes to a series of decisions undermining the landmark 1965 law that protected racial minorities' collective voting power.—
Brittney Melton,
NPR,
30 Apr. 2026
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But more than half fear that politicization and confusion are undermining vaccine access.—
Michael C. Burgess,
STAT,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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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
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Water at the base of plants instead of wetting the entire garden with a sprinkler or hose.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Iran continued to export nearly 2 million barrels of oil each day through the strait, blunting some of the supply loss, according to energy data firm Kpler.—
Max Zahn,
ABC News,
16 Apr. 2026
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The launches underscored continuing tensions between the Koreas, blunting South Korean hopes for warmer relations.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Natural Ways to Get Rid of Onion Grass These invasive weeds are fast-growing and rob your grass of water, nutrients, and sunlight, weakening your garden over time, says Brian Feldman, senior director of technical operations at TruGreen.—
Madeline Buiano,
Martha Stewart,
26 Apr. 2026
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Muscle loss and bone weakening Numerous studies have documented that rapid weight loss from Ozempic and other medications can cause significant muscle loss, especially in people who don’t increase their protein intake.—
Cindy Krischer Goodman,
Sun Sentinel,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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For this, Langelo recommends moistening the soil to make the weeds easier to pull.—
Madeline Buiano,
Martha Stewart,
26 Apr. 2026
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Each watering session should deliver about 1/2 inch of water, moistening the soil to a depth of about 6 inches to support healthy root development.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
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At Source puts seven years of joint practice and mutual magnetism to tape without dulling the dynamic buzz of their live sets.—
Hattie Lindert,
Pitchfork,
2 Mar. 2026
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Also, don't store beans or ground coffee in the refrigerator—the coffee may absorb moisture and odors, dulling its flavor.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
20 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dampening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dampening. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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