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View synonyms for dim.

dim.

1

abbreviation for

  1. (in prescriptions) one-half.


dim.

2

abbreviation for

  1. dimension.
  2. diminish.
  3. diminuendo.
  4. diminutive.

dim

3

[ dim ]

adjective

, dim·mer, dim·mest.
  1. not bright; obscure from lack of light or emitted light:

    a dim room; a dim flashlight.

  2. not seen clearly or in detail; indistinct:

    a dim object in the distance.

  3. not clear to the mind; vague:

    a dim idea.

    Synonyms: unclear, hazy, fuzzy, indistinct, indefinite, faint

  4. not brilliant; dull in luster:

    a dim color.

  5. not clear or distinct to the senses; faint:

    a dim sound.

  6. not seeing clearly:

    eyes dim with tears.

  7. tending to be unfavorable; not likely to happen, succeed, be favorable, etc.:

    a dim chance of winning.

  8. not understanding clearly.
  9. rather stupid; dim-witted.

verb (used with object)

, dimmed, dim·ming.
  1. to make dim or dimmer.

    Synonyms: cloud, darken

  2. to switch (the headlights of a vehicle) from the high to the low beam.

verb (used without object)

, dimmed, dim·ming.
  1. to become or grow dim or dimmer.

    Synonyms: fade, dull

verb phrase

  1. (in wartime) to reduce the night illumination of (a city, ship, etc.) to make it less visible from the air or sea, as a protection from enemy aircraft or ships.

dim

/ dɪm /

adjective

  1. badly illuminated

    a dim room

  2. not clearly seen; indistinct; faint

    a dim shape

  3. having weak or indistinct vision

    eyes dim with tears

  4. lacking in understanding; mentally dull
  5. not clear in the mind; obscure

    a dim memory

  6. lacking in brilliance, brightness, or lustre

    a dim colour

  7. tending to be unfavourable; gloomy or disapproving (esp in the phrase take a dim view )
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


verb

  1. to become or cause to become dim
  2. tr to cause to seem less bright, as by comparison
  3. tr to switch (car headlights) from the main to the lower beam Also called (in Britain and certain other countries)dip
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Derived Forms

  • ˈdimness, noun
  • ˈdimly, adverb
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Other Words From

  • dimly adverb
  • dimma·ble adjective
  • dimness noun
  • un·dim adjective
  • un·dimly adverb
  • un·dimmed adjective
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Word History and Origins

Origin of dim.1

From the Latin word dīmidius

Origin of dim.2

before 1000; Middle English, Old English dim ( me ), cognate with Old Frisian dim, Old Norse dimmr
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Word History and Origins

Origin of dim.1

Old English dimm; related to Old Norse dimmr gloomy, dark
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Idioms and Phrases

Idioms
  1. take a dim view of, to regard with disapproval, skepticism, or dismay:

    Her mother takes a dim view of her choice of friends.

More idioms and phrases containing dim.

see take a dim view .
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Synonym Study

See dark.
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Example Sentences

Soon we had the entire garden to ourselves — we encountered fewer than a dozen people the entire weekend — and as the light dimmed behind an overcast sky, the three of us perched on a ledge near the trail’s end.

It’s during this dim period, when the stars still mingle with the moon in the sky but the sun announces that it’s on its way, that I’ve maintained a tenuous hold on the outside world through surfing.

This is Delaware, home of presidents and seekers of information about Cantonese dim sum to be served during the Super Bowl.

On a per-36-minutes and per-100-possessions basis, Randle is diming up his teammates more than he ever previously had.

When researchers look for far-off planets, they do so by watching stars and noting when planets pass in front of them, measuring the resulting dim in brightness.

Justin gazed out from the dim interior as more than 300 police motorcycles from dozens of jurisdictions rumbled past.

The essential fault lies not with the stars around him, however dim, but with himself.

Below, the thick marshland and dim lights created a scene that Breman describes as “Joseph Conrad territory.”

In a dim backroom of a mud hut in Save, 82-year-old Teresa Nyirabutunda sits propped upright in bed by her daughter, Francine.

My concerns about the study do not dim my admiration for the fund itself or the work that it does.

She opened the letter by the flickering firelight, which was stronger on the hearthrug than the light of the dim November day.

Dr. Ashton walked out of the chapel, and Val stood for a few moments where he was, looking up and down in the dim light.

Any moment, if he looked up, he would meet eyes—eyes that gazed with dim yet definite recognition into his own across the night.

The contrast between the open street and the enclosed stuffiness of the dim and crowded interior was overwhelming.

By the dim light of the campfire they saw what they supposed were the sleeping forms of their enemies.

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Related Words

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More About Dim

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.

Where does dim come from?

The first records of dim come from before 1000. It ultimately comes from the Old English dimm, which is related to the Old Norse dimmr, meaning “gloomy” or “dark.”

The word dark is similar to dim but usually means a complete absence of light. A dark room would be one with the lights completely turned off, while a dim room still has a small, faint amount of light.

Dim is used to mean “disapproving” or “unfavorable” in the idiom take a dim view of, as in Her boss took a dim view of her constantly falling asleep at work.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to dim?

  • dimly (adverb)
  • dimmable (adjective)
  • dimmer (noun)
  • undim (adjective)

What are some synonyms for dim?

What are some words that share a root or word element with dim

What are some words that often get used in discussing dim?

How is dim used in real life?

Dim is commonly used, especially to mean a lack of brightness.

 

 

Try using dim!

Which of the following is NOT a synonym of dim?

A. clear
B. shadowy
C. dark
D. blurry

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.

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