dampen
Americanverb (used with object)
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dampens,
present (3rd person singular)
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dampened,
past participle, past
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dampening
present participle
verb (used without object)
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dampens,
present (3rd person singular)
-
dampened,
past participle, past
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dampening
present participle
verb
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to make or become damp
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(tr) to stifle; deaden
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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dampensimple
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dampenssimple
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have dampenedperfect
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has dampenedperfect
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am dampeningprogressive
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are dampeningprogressive
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is dampeningprogressive
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have been dampeningperfect progressive
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has been dampeningperfect progressive
Past
-
dampenedsimple
-
had dampenedperfect
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was dampeningprogressive
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were dampeningprogressive
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had been dampeningperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of dampen
Explanation
To dampen something is to stifle it, to lessen its effect, or to moisten it. Getting a cold will dampen your enthusiasm. This word has several related meanings, most of which make something less effective or powerful. Using a towel will dampen it in the sense of getting it wet, but dampening goes beyond things that are damp (wet). Bad news will dampen your mood, bringing it down. Boxing gloves dampen the force of punches because they cushion the blows. Anything dampened has been weakened and brought down a notch.
Vocabulary lists containing dampen
Out of the Dust
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Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
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Undefeated
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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:
That could indicate that the presence of other compounds in the body might dampen free radical creation.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 17, 2026
He warned that an expected increase in inflation would still "dampen growth", but added that the economy was showing "remarkable resilience to higher energy prices and borrowing costs".
From BBC ● Oct. 15, 2026
Investors will also parse economic data, where any signs of weakness could further dampen rate-hike expectations.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026
Oxford Economics predicts the new round of tariffs would dampen growth and increase prices that Canadians pay.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 25, 2026
There were stacks of paper to dampen before printing, and printed proofs to examine.
From "The Girl Who Drew Butterflies: How Maria Merian's Art Changed Science" by Joyce Sidman
The likely absence of a Chinese corporate delegation dampens expectations for major business deals between the world’s two biggest economies.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 22, 2026
Higher fuel prices also add to inflation, which in turn dampens odds of an interest-rate cut.
From Barron's ● Mar. 12, 2026
This receptor not only affects learning but also dampens activity in parts of the brain responsible for processing visual information.
From Science Daily ● Feb. 15, 2026
“What the shingles vaccine does is it dampens reactivations of latent viruses in a way that may be protecting other parts of your body,” Martin said.
From Salon ● Jul. 12, 2025
The tide pushes a low riffle through the pool, and it washes over her shins and dampens the hem of her dress.
From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr
But hopes that the animals were headed to a better life have been dampened by a number of deaths in the group.
From BBC ● Oct. 17, 2026
However, the lure of signing foreign talent will be dampened by the removal of club injury credit, which helps cover the cost of replacing an injured player.
From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026
Those not in the know might faint at the prices—$4,600 for a cashmere-and-silk sweater, $11,800 for a suede jacket—but sticker shock hasn’t dampened sales.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026
Seeing his place in its current state has dampened his spirits but not his determination to rebuild.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 1, 2026
I dampened it with water and tried to coax it into a few waves about my forehead.
From "Jacob Have I Loved" by Katherine Paterson
"By using vitamin D analogs to engage the body's own natural system for dampening fibrotic and inflammatory responses, we can enable other therapies to do their job."
From Science Daily ● Oct. 4, 2026
Higher mortgage rates are further dampening an already stagnant housing market.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 16, 2026
West Midlands Assistant Chief Fire Officer Simon Barry told residents the fire there was under control and they were just dampening down hot spots.
From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026
—Bitcoin remained stronger in the wake of Friday’s weaker-than-expected U.S. nonfarm payrolls data dampening expectations for the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 10, 2026
I end up just dampening a strip of bandage and placing it on his forehead.
From "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
