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
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dampening
Moreover, persistent uncertainty is also dampening economic activity.
—
Chloe Taylor, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2025
Rising insurance costs, intensifying storms and growing awareness of flood risks are already dampening home sales in some communities − and thus opportunities to simply hand over one’s risk to someone else and move on.
—Debolina Banerjee, The Conversation, 16 Oct. 2025
Reading poetry out loud also requires us to pause for punctuation or line breaks, increasing our parasympathetic tone and dampening our hyperactive sympathetic nervous system.
—K.j.s. “sunny” Anand, Time, 15 Oct. 2025
Today, Vance was back on The Charlie Kirk Show podcast to take another kick at dampening the outrage and calls for consequences for the Young Republicans’ pro-Nazis, pro-rape and racist statements.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 15 Oct. 2025
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.
—Shoko Wanger, Architectural Digest, 6 Oct. 2025
The result has been higher long-term borrowing costs, further dampening investment.
—Christian Edwards, CNN Money, 30 Sep. 2025
Loop’s Experience line is specially made for concerts by dampening the decibels without sacrificing the performer’s sound quality.
—Jessica Comstock, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Sep. 2025
That lack of housing, according to Carroll, has the effect of holding back household formation and dampening economic activity.
—Giulia Carbonaro, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Sep. 2025
Chloe Taylor, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2025
Rising insurance costs, intensifying storms and growing awareness of flood risks are already dampening home sales in some communities − and thus opportunities to simply hand over one’s risk to someone else and move on.
—Debolina Banerjee, The Conversation, 16 Oct. 2025
Reading poetry out loud also requires us to pause for punctuation or line breaks, increasing our parasympathetic tone and dampening our hyperactive sympathetic nervous system.
—K.j.s. “sunny” Anand, Time, 15 Oct. 2025
Today, Vance was back on The Charlie Kirk Show podcast to take another kick at dampening the outrage and calls for consequences for the Young Republicans’ pro-Nazis, pro-rape and racist statements.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 15 Oct. 2025
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.
—Shoko Wanger, Architectural Digest, 6 Oct. 2025
The result has been higher long-term borrowing costs, further dampening investment.
—Christian Edwards, CNN Money, 30 Sep. 2025
Loop’s Experience line is specially made for concerts by dampening the decibels without sacrificing the performer’s sound quality.
—Jessica Comstock, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Sep. 2025
That lack of housing, according to Carroll, has the effect of holding back household formation and dampening economic activity.
—Giulia Carbonaro, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dampening
Verb
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The active damping system, the company said, increases off-road speed while boosting gunners’ hit probability and extending the life of subsystems.—
Kapil Kajal,
Interesting Engineering,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Solutions like breathable film packaging and smart logistics play a crucial role in reducing waste and prolonging shelf life.—
William Jones,
Freep.com,
27 Oct. 2025
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Adopting a healthy lifestyle, including diet, exercise, sleep, maintaining a healthy weight, avoiding sugar, eliminating tobacco, and curbing or skipping alcoholic beverages altogether, play a role in reducing early breast cancer recurrence.—
Marnie Goodfriend,
Flow Space,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Age proved to be a crucial issue ahead of the 2024 presidential election, undermining former President Joe Biden's bid for reelection as political rivals and many voters expressed concerns over his health and his fitness for office.—
Shane Croucher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Oct. 2025
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Trump has a recent history of stirring the pot, undermining the diplomatic victories Bessent and Greer secured with China.—
Elisabeth Buchwald,
CNN Money,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
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What sold me on the Shapton set was the process of wetting the whetstones.—
Jesse Raub,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
30 Sep. 2025
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Increase the resistance on this exercise by wetting the towel first.—
Aubrey Bailey,
Verywell Health,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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San Diego City Councilmember Stephen Whitburn, who sits on the water authority’s board of directors, asked officials to gather more options for blunting the impact of rate hikes.—
Lucas Robinson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 Oct. 2025
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Many shutdowns have largely played out over the weekend, blunting the impact, according to the CRFB.—
Greg Iacurci,
CNBC,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Washington — The Federal Reserve was already facing one of its most difficult battles, steering a shifting economy through a weakening labor market and stubborn inflation.—
Bryan Mena,
CNN Money,
22 Oct. 2025
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Far from expanding opportunity, this excessive wealth locks millions out of the chance to innovate and build, weakening growth for all.—
Scott Ellis,
Time,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
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In Party of Two—the fifth novel in a series featuring the same group of friends—the protagonist, Olivia, has to navigate the spotlight that comes with dating a senator without dulling her own ambitions.—
Karen Ostergren,
The Atlantic,
13 Oct. 2025
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Instead of softener, add half a cup of white vinegar to the rinse cycle to naturally soften towels and remove detergent residue without dulling the color.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
4 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Some impersonated tax officers to frighten British pensioners into draining their life savings into suspicious bank accounts; others peddled irresistible student loan offers to American high schoolers.—
Snigdha Poonam,
The Dial,
28 Oct. 2025
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Picking the Wrong Location Planting fruit trees in overly shady spots or poorly draining soil inhibits fruiting and makes your plants more susceptible to pests, diseases, and rot.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
27 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dampening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dampening. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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