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:
—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
Recently, we have waded a little out to sea, enough to dampen our toes or, at most, wet our ankles.
From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan
This sincere tone dampens much of the movie’s goofball appeal.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 28, 2026
Higher fuel prices also add to inflation, which in turn dampens odds of an interest-rate cut.
From Barron's ● Mar. 12, 2026
It dampens a signaling pathway known as mTOR, which normally drives cells to activate, grow, and repair tissue.
From Science Daily ● Feb. 23, 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
This dampens the tragic effect, and the curtain comes down on laughter.
From "Cat's Eye" by Margaret Atwood
He noted, for instance, the E. coli outbreak in spinach in 2006 dampened sales for years.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026
"The current fuel curve has dampened our expectations."
From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 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
Sander's spirits were not dampened in the least.
From "The Shakespeare Stealer" by Gary L. Blackwood
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
On Saturday, about 25 firefighters remained at the scene dampening down.
From BBC ● Jul. 25, 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
They strengthened throughout the night, literally dampening the spirits of the mob, putting an end to the Washington Riots of 1919.
From "1919 The Year That Changed America" by Martin W. Sandler
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.
