1
as in to moisten
to make or become slightly or moderately wet
dampen a paper towel with water and use it to clean up the mess
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2
as in to reduce
to reduce or weaken in strength or feeling
the oppressive heat dampened our spirits
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3
as in to undermine
to deprive of emotional or intellectual vitality
nothing could dampen their enthusiasm
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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of dampen
Strawberries can aid the body in silencing allergies Depositphotos
A study out of the Tokyo University of Science found that the flavonoid kaempferol can dampen the body’s allergic response – including food allergies – via its effect on the immune system.
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New Atlas, 30 Dec. 2024
Rising interest rates and cooling consumer sentiment dampened demand for luxury items.
—Garth Friesen, Forbes, 27 Dec. 2024
Sorry to everyone whose lingering Pennywise crush was dampened by all the prosthetics Skarsgård is under as Orlok, but hopefully that giggle-inducing lusty sniffing is enough for your sicko-mode fantasizing.
—Vulture Staff, Vulture, 26 Dec. 2024
The Federal Reserve’s cautious stance on interest rate cuts has dampened market sentiment, while substantial outflows from Bitcoin ETFs have further contributed to the downturn.
—Vinamrata Chaturvedi, Quartz, 23 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for dampen 
New Atlas, 30 Dec. 2024
Rising interest rates and cooling consumer sentiment dampened demand for luxury items.
—Garth Friesen, Forbes, 27 Dec. 2024
Sorry to everyone whose lingering Pennywise crush was dampened by all the prosthetics Skarsgård is under as Orlok, but hopefully that giggle-inducing lusty sniffing is enough for your sicko-mode fantasizing.
—Vulture Staff, Vulture, 26 Dec. 2024
The Federal Reserve’s cautious stance on interest rate cuts has dampened market sentiment, while substantial outflows from Bitcoin ETFs have further contributed to the downturn.
—Vinamrata Chaturvedi, Quartz, 23 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for dampen
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dampen
Verb
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Tokyo Fire officials advised people to cut mochi into small and easy-to-eat pieces, chew it slowly before swallowing and moisten their throats with tea or soup before consuming to aid digestion, Nippon TV and Japan Today said.Jonathan Limehouse, USA TODAY, 7 Jan. 2025
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Add butter, and pulse until crumbs are evenly moistened, about 5 pulses.Sabrina Weiss, People.com, 23 Oct. 2024
Verb
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Tailor For Expense Reduction Messaging When crafting your capabilities statement, customize it to showcase how your business can help agencies reduce costs: • Use metrics to quantify savings from previous contracts.Col. Rafael Marrero, Forbes, 15 Jan. 2025
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Studies show that cigarettes with lower nicotine content reduce people’s dependence on nicotine and can help alleviate some of the cravings associated with withdrawal.Nathaniel Weixel, The Hill, 15 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Without this context, the accuracy of risk assessments is undermined.Philip Caldwell, Baltimore Sun, 12 Jan. 2025
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Many businesses are unaware of the extent to which artificially inflated OTP traffic undermines their operations due to the sheer complexities and inherent risks of telecommunication.Ethan Stone, USA TODAY, 12 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Apply to damp or dry hair to detangle and style—scrunch for curls or smooth with a brush for sleek looks.Erin Parker, Allure, 27 Dec. 2024
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The troubles damped Nongfu Spring’s first-half water sales and curbed earnings growth.Zinnia Lee, Forbes, 6 Nov. 2024
Verb
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That’s a trend that’s stayed steady throughout the season to the point that any upward regression expected by the model has diminished.Dom Luszczyszyn, The Athletic, 9 Jan. 2025
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Maryland faltered for the first time, a loss that dims but shouldn’t diminish its impressive start as its ceiling comes clearer into focus.Taylor Lyons, Baltimore Sun, 9 Jan. 2025
Verb
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The widening yield differentials between Chinese and U.S. sovereign bonds could risk encouraging capital outflows and put further pressure on the yuan that has been weakening against the greenback.Anniek Bao, CNBC, 10 Jan. 2025
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Elon Musk, one of Trump’s confidants, has already met with Iran’s UN ambassador; now that Israel has weakened Tehran and pummeled its proxies in the Middle East, a diplomatic breakthrough may be achievable.Charles A. Kupchan, The Atlantic, 10 Jan. 2025
Verb
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The greed machine has already taken over the health care and banking industries and that success has wetted their appetites to rip off even more Americans.Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 2 Jan. 2025
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This model can also mop the floors, lifting them when encountering carpets so as not to wet them.Gabriela Vatu, PCMAG, 8 Oct. 2024
Verb
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America’s morning television brightens the day but deadens the soul.Joel Golby, airmail.news, 5 Oct. 2024
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One way of deadening the mind to distractions is by blowing opponents off the court.Tim Ellis, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Dampen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dampen. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.
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