damper

noun

damp·​er ˈdam-pər 

1

: a dulling or deadening influence

put a damper on the celebration

2

: a device that damps: such as

a

: a valve or plate (as in the flue of a furnace) for regulating the draft

b

: a small felted block to stop the vibration of a piano string

c

chiefly British : shock absorber

3

Australia : a simple usually unleavened bread of a kind made originally in the Australian bush

Synonyms

• mute

Examples of damper in a Sentence

the pianist used the damper pedal on the piano for the quiet passages

Recent Examples on the Web

Credit them with winning 10 games although losing three of their last four and blowing a chance to win the ACC championship and get into the playoff put a huge damper on the season. —Mike Bianchi, Orlando Sentinel, 11 Jan. 2025

While almost all the apartments sold for less than $1 million are co-ops (as condos cost more), the problems buyers perceive with that form of ownership remain a damper on their prices. —Frederick Peters, Forbes, 3 Jan. 2025

The steering is firm and direct, while air suspension and adaptive dampers provided a smooth and controlled ride on driving on past meadows on fast, rolling roads and alongside twisting rivers. —Mark Phelan, Detroit Free Press, 23 Sep. 2024

Somehow, the firmer springs pair with the shock dampers to glue the car to the ground, providing a more stable platform that absorbs reverberations even better than the supposedly more comfortable Tour. —Michael Teo Van Runkle, Forbes, 19 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1707, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing damper

• put a damper on

Kids Definition

damper

noun

damp·​er ˈdam-pər 

: one that damps : as

a

: a valve or plate (as in the flue of a furnace) for regulating the draft

b

: a device (as one of the felt-covered pieces of wood in a piano) used to deaden vibrations or oscillations

c

: a dulling or deadening influence

put a damper on the celebration