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 + inIt'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
Many crossover tracks take weeks, if not months, to make a dent in radio rotation, especially at country stations.
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Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 30 Mar. 2025
The methods listed below, on the other hand, can make a dent in your account balances at a quicker pace overall.
—Gabriel Rodríguez, Sacbee.com, 28 Mar. 2025
That should reduce inter-terminal haulage operations and make a dent in greenhouse gas emissions from the port.
—New Atlas, 2 Mar. 2025
Support for small and medium sized businesses on making these changes could really make a dent for the long term.
—Nancy Doyle, Forbes, 18 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for make/put a dent
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Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 30 Mar. 2025
The methods listed below, on the other hand, can make a dent in your account balances at a quicker pace overall.
—Gabriel Rodríguez, Sacbee.com, 28 Mar. 2025
That should reduce inter-terminal haulage operations and make a dent in greenhouse gas emissions from the port.
—New Atlas, 2 Mar. 2025
Support for small and medium sized businesses on making these changes could really make a dent for the long term.
—Nancy Doyle, Forbes, 18 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for make/put a dent
Cite this Entry
“Make/put a dent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/make%2Fput%20a%20dent. Accessed 6 Apr. 2025.
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