dampen
Americanverb (used with object)
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dampens,
present (3rd person singular)
-
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
-
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:
—The dollar fell as recent U.S. data dampen the prospect of the Federal Reserve raising interest rates while Treasury yields rose as oil prices gain.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
No-one was injured and fire crews were called to the scene to dampen the waste before it was cleared.
From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026
These help to dampen the chronic, low-grade inflammation that quietly underlies heart disease, diabetes and many cancers.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 10, 2026
Discovery — the latest international agency to find the blockbuster combination of TV channels and historic film studios wouldn’t dampen competition.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026
Then I turned it up, and back down, just to dampen it.
From "When I Was the Greatest" by Jason Reynolds
A higher interest-rate environment typically dampens the appeal of nonyielding assets like gold.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 23, 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
Sweat dampens her forehead as she waves me closer.
From "Dumplin'" by Julie Murphy
And once the fire is dampened down, the habitats needed to support fragile ecosystems are lost, sometimes for decades, Craig Best - National Trust general manager for the Peak District - said.
From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026
They also pointed to evidence that subsidized housing production dampened market-rate construction.
From Salon ● Jul. 4, 2026
The tragedy dampened what had been nationwide jubilation over the unexpected triumphs of El Tri, as Mexico’s national team is known.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 3, 2026
Heavy rain on Tuesday morning paused operations and dampened spirits, however.
From Barron's ● Jul. 1, 2026
Biafra would win, Olanna knew, because Biafra had to win, but that Mrs. Muokelu of all people believed that the fall of the capital was imminent dampened her.
From "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
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
All of this could eventually create problems for the stock market by dampening economic growth, Rosenberg said.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 12, 2026
The dampening effect of “Wonder Man’s” cancellation aside, Abdul-Mateen, who also starred in Netflix’s “Man on Fire” series this spring, has more on the horizon this year.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 3, 2026
"The reduction in the tax on motor fuels, which has applied since the start of May, is likely to have had a dampening effect on the rise in prices," she said.
From Barron's ● Jun. 30, 2026
Kendra pressed her hands over her ears, trying to augment the dampening power of the earplugs.
From "Fablehaven" by Brandon Mull
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.
