dim
adjective
not bright; obscure from lack of light or emitted light.
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dim
1 American
[dim]
/ dɪm /
adjective
-
dimmer,
comparative
-
dimmest
superlative
-
not bright; obscure from lack of light or emitted light.
a dim room; a dim flashlight.
-
not seen clearly or in detail; indistinct.
a dim object in the distance.
-
not clear to the mind; vague.
a dim idea.
- Synonyms:
- hazy, fuzzy, indistinct, indefinite, faint, unclear
-
not brilliant; dull in luster.
a dim color.
-
not clear or distinct to the senses; faint.
a dim sound.
-
not seeing clearly.
eyes dim with tears.
-
tending to be unfavorable; not likely to happen, succeed, be favorable, etc..
a dim chance of winning.
-
not understanding clearly.
-
rather stupid; dim-witted.
verb (used with object)
-
dims,
present (3rd person singular)
-
dimmed,
past participle, past
-
dimming
present participle
verb (used without object)
-
dims,
present (3rd person singular)
-
dimmed,
past participle, past
-
dimming
present participle
verb phrase
idioms
dim.
2
American
abbreviation
dim.
3
American
abbreviation
-
dimension.
-
diminish.
-
diminuendo.
-
diminutive.
dim
British
/ dɪm /
adjective
-
badly illuminated
a dim room
-
not clearly seen; indistinct; faint
a dim shape
-
having weak or indistinct vision
eyes dim with tears
-
lacking in understanding; mentally dull
-
not clear in the mind; obscure
a dim memory
-
lacking in brilliance, brightness, or lustre
a dim colour
-
tending to be unfavourable; gloomy or disapproving (esp in the phrase take a dim view )
verb
-
to become or cause to become dim
-
(tr) to cause to seem less bright, as by comparison
-
Also called (in Britain and certain other countries): dip. (tr) to switch (car headlights) from the main to the lower beam
dim
More Idioms
Usage
What does dim mean? Dim describes something as lacking light or having a weak brightness, as in a dim flashlight or a dim tunnel. Dim also describes things that are unclear, because of poor visibility, a weak understanding, or a more general lack of clarity, as in a dim shape in the distance, a dim noise, or a dim knowledge of math. Dim also describes having weak or poor vision, as in Jane’s eyes were dim with tears. Dim can be used to mean lacking mental ability or having low intelligence. However, this is almost always considered insulting. As a verb, dim means to make something dim or less bright, as in He dimmed the lights. It can also be used to mean to grow dim or dimmer, as in The noise of the engine dimmed as the car drove out of sight. Example: Although the tunnel was dim, the faint candlelight guided the miner back to the surface.
Synonym Usage
See dark.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Adjectives
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
dimsimple
-
dimssimple
-
have dimmedperfect
-
has dimmedperfect
-
am dimmingprogressive
-
are dimmingprogressive
-
is dimmingprogressive
-
have been dimmingperfect progressive
-
has been dimmingperfect progressive
Past
-
dimmedsimple
-
had dimmedperfect
-
was dimmingprogressive
-
were dimmingprogressive
-
had been dimmingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of dim1
before 1000; Middle English, Old English dim ( me ), cognate with Old Frisian dim, Old Norse dimmr
Origin of dim.2
From the Latin word dīmidius
Explanation
Dim has several meanings related to a lack of light, hope, or knowledge. A room that is not well lit is dim, a slow thinker is dim, and when life looks hopeless, your prospects are dim. To dim a light is to dull it, like by putting a shade over it. A vague idea without a lot of specifics is also dim, since it's hard to see or understand the idea. Someone who's not very bright is dim or a dimwit. When things are hopeless, they're dim too. For example, if a football team is losing by fifty points, their chances of winning are dim.
Vocabulary lists containing dim
The SAT: Multiple-Meaning Words, List 5
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The New SAT: Multiple-Meaning Words
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The ACT Reading Test: Multiple-Meaning Words, List 5
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
TOKYO—The yen is under renewed pressure as fresh expectations of Federal Reserve monetary tightening dim the prospects of U.S.-Japan interest-rate differentials narrowing in the currency’s favor.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 31, 2026
To do it, the instrument can maneuver a flexible mirror with near-atomic-scale precision to focus the bright starlight into a pinprick, then block it with a mask so it can observe the dim planet.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 30, 2026
That backdrop can keep appetite for stocks strong, but dim the appeal of bonds.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 19, 2026
Tensions arose when the defendant "took a dim view" of one of Powles's daughters serving behind the bar as part of her training to work there, prosecutor Matthew Harding said.
From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026
In the doorway of my assigned room on the third floor I could see the dim outline of a body in the bed closest to the door and an empty bed closer to the window.
From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse
“It was looking pretty dim. Fifty-two, and you die right there, on your own property? That’s pretty sad. This gives a whole new meaning to life right now.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 11, 2023
"The establishment is saying if you don't go to college, your soul is lost and your future is quite dim. We are saying you can have perfectly fulfilling careers outside that path."
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 15, 2015
To outsiders he might seem a dim. ineffectual visionary, but to them he was a genuine Messiah.
From Time Magazine Archive
Parry spent many of his nights alone in his ascetic bedroom, the lights dim. his weighty frame slack on the bed.
From Time Magazine Archive
Gently, Penelope asked, “Forgive me, my lady, but are you certain it was your husband? He appeared so briefly, and the room was so dim. . . .”
From "The Unseen Guest" by Maryrose Wood
Actor, singer and "Family Guy" creator Seth MacFarlane wrote on X that "the world is a dimmer place without her."
From Barron's ● Aug. 25, 2026
The difficulty is that large, luminous stars dominate the light, while smaller stars are far dimmer and much harder to identify.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 22, 2026
The UK Health Security Agency says the event can make the Sun appear dimmer than usual, making it easier to look at directly.
From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026
That prospect was growing dimmer a few years later when playwrights such as Suzan-Lori Parks and Lynn Nottage came into prominence.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 29, 2026
“I was just thinking about doing that,” and she took a lamp and left her friends, impressed, in a dimmer room.
From "The Woman Warrior" by Maxine Hong Kingston
A 6.5 magnitude is generally the dimmest object the human eye can see.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 19, 2024
Such demolitions typically cause a much brighter display and rarely last longer than a year, so it would have to be the longest and dimmest so far.
From Science Magazine ● Jun. 17, 2024
A waning crescent moon — which is only 8% illuminated — will allow even the dimmest of shooting stars to shine this weekend.
From Seattle Times ● Aug. 10, 2023
"The fantasy of two-all going to The Oval had been enchanting to both sets of fans; only the dimmest partisans so crave trophies as to be gratified by non-results," he wrote.
From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2023
Bracing myself against the wall, I drew out my hand lamp and thumbed it on to its dimmest setting.
From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss
But that tariff relief will fade as energy stress dims outlook, the S&P economists said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 25, 2026
Younger people have a generally sunnier starting point but that dims as they age - not a great surprise - and all age groups react to events similarly.
From BBC ● Jan. 17, 2026
Nguyen presciently captures the spark of outrage that dims as the news cycle moves on to the next crisis.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 3, 2025
If you look at it, you will see that the ray dims and the gas vapor lights up.
From Science Daily ● May 2, 2024
I stretch some more to try and see the name on the screen, but Sonny dims it so I can’t.
From "On the Come Up" by Angie Thomas
The April ceasefire put an end to the most intense fighting, but sporadic attacks, mainly around the Strait of Hormuz, have dimmed the prospects of a final peace agreement.
From Barron's ● Aug. 28, 2026
As the moon started to span across the sun, the temperature dropped, the wind rushed in and the light dimmed, draining the sky of color.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026
Even when Swift J1727 had dimmed to roughly one hundredth of its peak activity, astronomers still detected dense gas being blown away from the system.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 31, 2026
Nothing to apologize for, but there’s also no question Journalism’s star has dimmed.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2026
The misty lights wavered, dimmed, and went out, Gollum would not move.
From "The Two Towers" by J. R. R. Tolkien
Because the evolved supergiant is expected to eventually end its life in a supernova explosion, the dramatic dimming prompted speculation that the star might be preparing to explode.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 27, 2026
This will result in a slight dimming of the Sun's light and a drop in temperature.
From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2026
NAIROBI, Kenya—The fast-spreading Ebola virus is overwhelming creaking hospitals and clinics in the Democratic Republic of Congo, dimming hopes for quick containment of what is already the third-largest outbreak of the killer disease in history.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 24, 2026
Virginie Efira and Tao Okamoto let a day’s stroll linger into profundity, the twilight dimming and human connection brewing in all its possibilities.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 22, 2026
Guests were frequent at the Terranovas’ apartment, so when the doorbell rang, there was no sense of foreboding—no dimming of the sun, no foreshadowing of the arrival of death at their door.
From "Scythe" by Neal Shusterman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
