make/put a dent

idiom

: to decrease something slightly or to make something somewhat weaker

We tried our best to fix the problem, but nothing we did seems to have made a dent.

—often + in

It's going to take more than a new law to make a dent in the city's drug crime.

a vacation that won't put too big a dent in your wallet

Examples of make/put a dent in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

But this rift between the co-stars and co-producers could put a dent in plans. —

Christy Piña, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Dec. 2024 By the numbers: Smartwatches claim the vast majority of the wearables market, but smart rings are beginning to make a dent; Samsung debuted one in February and Apple was recently rumored to be working on one too. —

Erin Brodwin, Axios, 19 Dec. 2024 Sharp rings and finger nails couldn’t make a dent in these tights. —

L.a. Hubilla, People.com, 19 Dec. 2024 Stevens is not convinced these changes to LA’s coordinated entry system will make a dent. —

Carly Stern, Vox, 6 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for make/put a dent

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“Make/put a dent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/make%2Fput%20a%20dent. Accessed 24 Dec. 2024.

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