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

The first blackout occurred when it was still docked in Baltimore after a crew member mistakenly closed an exhaust damper while conducting maintenance, causing one of its diesel engines to stall, according to safety investigators. —Lea Skene and Alanna Durkin Richer, Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2024

With the economy slowing and the job outlook deteriorating for workers still early in their careers, the prospect of having to work further into their older years could put another damper on sentiment — at a time when boosting confidence is key to reviving growth. —Eleanor Pringle, Fortune Asia, 11 Sep. 2024

The upper trims with their electronic dampers can mitigate some of that, though. —Aaron Turpen, New Atlas, 5 Aug. 2024

What the pilots noticed during the Boeing 737 MAX 8 flight On May 25, the day of the flight, the captain who flew the plane noticed a previous yaw damper overcorrection was mentioned in the logbook before taking off. —Michael Salerno, The Arizona Republic, 10 July 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