dent

1 of 5

verb

ˈdent 

dented; denting; dents

transitive verb

1

: to make a dent in

dent a car

2

: to have a weakening effect on

intransitive verb

: to form a dent by sinking inward : become dented

dent

2 of 5

noun (1)

1

: a depression or hollow made by a blow or by pressure

2

: an appreciable impression or effect often made against resistance

hasn't made a dent in the problem

specifically : a weakening or lessening effect

costs that have made a dent in the budget

dent

3 of 5

noun (2)

: tooth sense 2a

dent

4 of 5

abbreviation

dental; dentist; dentistry

dent-

5 of 5

combining form

variants or denti- or dento-

: tooth : teeth

dentiform

Synonyms

Verb

• abate
• de-escalate
• decrease
• deplete
• diminish
• downscale
• downsize
• drop
• dwindle
• ease
• knock down
• lessen
• lower
• reduce

Noun (1)

• cavity
• concavity
• depression
• dint
• hole
• hollow
• indentation
• indenture
• pit
• recess

Examples of dent in a Sentence

Verb

I'm afraid I dented the wall pretty badly when I was hammering in that nail.

Many of the cans were badly dented.

Some types of metal dent more easily than others.

The team's confidence has been dented by a recent series of losses.

Noun (1)

there was a big dent in the car's hood where something had hit it

a little belt-tightening would at least make a small dent in our credit-card debt

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

In William Friedkin’s 1972 original, science and modern medicine are completely powerless to dent the demon who has possessed the innocent victim, leaving it up to the patriarchal Catholic Church to take on Pazuzu (and forge its own Reaganomics). —David Colman, The Hollywood Reporter, 31 Oct. 2024

Still, delays in diagnosis and treatment during the pandemic and disruptions in employment and insurance could dent that progress. —Adriel Bettelheim, Axios, 9 Oct. 2024

Noun

While Democrats hope to hold it, Republicans are looking to flip it, making a slight dent into the Democratic supermajority in Sacramento. —Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Orange County Register, 5 Nov. 2024

But the market has been able to grow and mature so much that now law enforcement action against even one part of it is unlikely to make any lasting dent in the spread of infostealers. —Joseph Cox, WIRED, 4 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, short for indenten to make dents in, indent

Noun (2)

French, literally, tooth, from Latin dent-, dens

Combining form

Middle English denti-, from Latin, from dent-, dens tooth — more at tooth

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun (1)

1565, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1703, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing dent

• dent corn
• make/put a dent

Kids Definition

dent

1 of 2 verb

ˈdent 

1

: to make a dent in or on

2

: to become marked by a dent

dent

2 of 2 noun

1

: a notch or hollow made by a blow or by pressure

2

a

: an impression or effect made usually against resistance

that purchase made a big dent in our savings

b

: noticeable progress

made a dent in our pile of work

Medical Definition

dent

abbreviation

dental; dentist; dentistry

Biographical Definition

Dent

biographical name

ˈdent 

Joseph Mal*a*by ˈma-lə-bē  1849–1926 English publisher