damp
Americanadjective
noun
verb (used with object)
-
to make damp; moisten.
- Synonyms:
- humidify
-
to check or retard the energy, action, etc., of; deaden; dampen.
A series of failures damped her enthusiasm.
-
to stifle or suffocate; extinguish.
to damp a furnace.
-
Acoustics, Music. to check or retard the action of (a vibrating string); dull; deaden.
-
Physics. to cause a decrease in amplitude of (successive oscillations or waves).
verb phrase
adjective
-
slightly wet, as from dew, steam, etc
-
archaic dejected
noun
-
slight wetness; moisture; humidity
-
rank air or poisonous gas, esp in a mine See also firedamp
-
a discouragement; damper
-
archaic dejection
verb
-
to make slightly wet
-
(often foll by down) to stifle or deaden
to damp one's ardour
-
(often foll by down) to reduce the flow of air to (a fire) to make it burn more slowly or to extinguish it
-
physics to reduce the amplitude of (an oscillation or wave)
-
music to muffle (the sound of an instrument)
Synonym Usage
Damp, humid, moist mean slightly wet. Damp usually implies slight and extraneous wetness, generally undesirable or unpleasant unless the result of intention: a damp cellar; to put a damp cloth on a patient's forehead. Humid is applied to unpleasant dampness in the air: The air is oppressively humid today. Moist denotes something that is slightly wet, naturally or properly: moist ground; moist leather.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
dampsimple
-
dampssimple
-
have dampedperfect
-
has dampedperfect
-
am dampingprogressive
-
are dampingprogressive
-
is dampingprogressive
-
have been dampingperfect progressive
-
has been dampingperfect progressive
Past
-
dampedsimple
-
had dampedperfect
-
was dampingprogressive
-
were dampingprogressive
-
had been dampingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of damp
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English (in sense of damp def. 5 ); compare Middle Dutch damp, Middle High German dampf “vapor, smoke”
Explanation
Something that's damp is slightly wet or soggy. If your shoes are damp when you enter your friend's white-carpeted house, you should probably take them off. Damp things are moist. Your lawn might be damp with dew in the morning, and if it's supposed to rain lightly, the weather report might include the word damp. Sometimes damp is a noun, as when your grandmother warns, "Don't go out in the damp without your umbrella!" To damp is to hold back, make soft, or restrain: "Use your hand to damp the sound of the cymbal after you hit it with the drumstick."
Vocabulary lists containing damp
Vocabulary from Readings 4, Unit 1
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!
"Boar Out There" by Cynthia Rylant
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!
Vocabulary from Readings 4, Unit 1
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.
Garcia, the 35-year-old mother living in the gym, is concerned for the health of her children, one of whom has developed a lung infection because of exposure to damp.
From Barron's • Jun. 17, 2026
The efforts justified Root's decision to field first on a damp, humid morning.
From BBC • Jun. 17, 2026
Heavy trading in the stock might also damp the price impact of index admission, as buying by tracker funds will be only a fraction of the huge volumes of trading.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 14, 2026
Lukewarm hot dogs and taquitos languishing on damp rollers or sweating beneath heat lamps.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 6, 2026
The rain was so much colder now and the damp seeped through our clothes.
From "Nory Ryan’s Song" by Patricia Reilly Giff
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.
