1
as in damping
to make or become slightly or moderately wet
dampen a paper towel with water and use it to clean up the mess
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in reducing
to reduce or weaken in strength or feeling
the oppressive heat dampened our spirits
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in undermining
to deprive of emotional or intellectual vitality
nothing could dampen their enthusiasm
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dampening
An inner cover allows moisture to condense without dampening the hive, and an outer cover protects the colony from inclement weather.
—
Literary Hub, 27 May 2026
Kyle Grillot | Bloomberg | Getty Images Mortgage rates continued to climb higher last week, dampening demand for loans from both current homeowners and potential homebuyers.
—Diana Olick, CNBC, 20 May 2026
In the wake of the immigration raids last summer, many of their potential patrons refrained from hosting celebrations, dampening their business.
—Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 29 Apr. 2026
One of San Francisco's busiest freeways remained shut down Saturday, creating major traffic delays and dampening business for some local restaurants and shops.
—Da Lin, CBS News, 19 Apr. 2026
Build budgets that defend your savings without dampening your enthusiasm.
—Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 3 Apr. 2026
In addition to adding decorative flair to windows and doors, these multipurpose window treatments promote privacy and block light, with many designs offering temperature-regulating and sound-dampening qualities to boot.
—Nashia Baker, Architectural Digest, 31 Mar. 2026
But a shortage of foreign workers is dampening the mood.
—ABC News, 26 Mar. 2026
That change has brought layoffs and smaller travel budgets, both dampening San Jose’s conference and convention recovery, Bellisario said.
—Ethan Baron, Mercury News, 21 Mar. 2026
Literary Hub, 27 May 2026
Kyle Grillot | Bloomberg | Getty Images Mortgage rates continued to climb higher last week, dampening demand for loans from both current homeowners and potential homebuyers.
—Diana Olick, CNBC, 20 May 2026
In the wake of the immigration raids last summer, many of their potential patrons refrained from hosting celebrations, dampening their business.
—Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 29 Apr. 2026
One of San Francisco's busiest freeways remained shut down Saturday, creating major traffic delays and dampening business for some local restaurants and shops.
—Da Lin, CBS News, 19 Apr. 2026
Build budgets that defend your savings without dampening your enthusiasm.
—Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 3 Apr. 2026
In addition to adding decorative flair to windows and doors, these multipurpose window treatments promote privacy and block light, with many designs offering temperature-regulating and sound-dampening qualities to boot.
—Nashia Baker, Architectural Digest, 31 Mar. 2026
But a shortage of foreign workers is dampening the mood.
—ABC News, 26 Mar. 2026
That change has brought layoffs and smaller travel budgets, both dampening San Jose’s conference and convention recovery, Bellisario said.
—Ethan Baron, Mercury News, 21 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dampening
Verb
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Unlike a conventional air suspension setup designed mainly for comfort, DiSus-P actively controls the height and damping of each wheel independently.—
Peter Lyon,
Forbes.com,
24 May 2026
-
According to gardening expert Lucie Bradley, damping off is the main reason seedlings might stop growing before drooping and dying.—
Michelle Mastro,
The Spruce,
23 May 2026
Verb
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But after years of record investment by the state in such wildfire risk mitigation, two key money sources are drying up, potentially reducing the state’s annual budget for vegetation removal by hundreds of millions of dollars.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
30 May 2026
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Although reducing carbon pollution, which stays in the atmosphere for hundreds of years, is key to tackling the climate crisis, slashing methane has been seen as something of a low-hanging fruit.—
Laura Paddison,
CNN Money,
30 May 2026
Verb
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Congress can pursue fiscal responsibility without undermining one of the most focused and effective nutrition programs in the federal government.—
Sam Raus,
The Orlando Sentinel,
29 May 2026
-
If organizations aren’t careful, their approach to AI will split their workforce into haves and have-nots, undermining the technology’s benefits.—
Matt Rosenbaum,
Fortune,
29 May 2026
Verb
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Avoid wetting foliage when watering plants or water in the morning if using overhead sprinklers to help minimize foliar disease.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
13 May 2026
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Avoid wetting leaves and vines.—
Barbara Gillette,
The Spruce,
12 May 2026
Verb
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Simple steps like version pinning or requiring a cool-down period before new library releases are available to developers can go a very long way toward blunting the supply chain attacks that are about to become far more common.—
Philip Martin,
Fortune,
29 May 2026
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South Africa’s central bank raised its benchmark interest rate for the first time in three years, in effect blunting a $1 billion fuel relief package designed to soften the blow of surging oil prices.—
Tiisetso Motsoeneng,
semafor.com,
29 May 2026
Verb
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Brooks Koepka, who rejoined the PGA Tour from LIV Golf in January, withdrew from the Charles Schwab Challenge at the last minute despite being originally scheduled to play, further weakening the field.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
31 May 2026
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Second, some worry that some of the financial safeguards and market disciplines developed after previous crises may be weakening.—
Robert Ginsburg,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
Verb
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For this, Langelo recommends moistening the soil to make the weeds easier to pull.—
Madeline Buiano,
Martha Stewart,
26 Apr. 2026
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Each watering session should deliver about 1/2 inch of water, moistening the soil to a depth of about 6 inches to support healthy root development.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
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At some point, the bracket creep is going to overreach into the point of diminishing marginal returns — dulling regular seasons and perhaps ultimately even eventually interest in the postseasons.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
24 May 2026
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Glycolic acid removes dead, dulling surface cells to reveal more radiant skin and help vitamin C penetrate skin more effectively.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
19 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dampening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dampening. Accessed 3 Jun. 2026.
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