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)
-
dampens,
present (3rd person singular)
-
dampened,
past participle, past
-
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
-
dampensimple
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dampenssimple
-
have dampenedperfect
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has dampenedperfect
-
am dampeningprogressive
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are dampeningprogressive
-
is dampeningprogressive
-
have been dampeningperfect progressive
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has been dampeningperfect progressive
Past
-
dampenedsimple
-
had dampenedperfect
-
was dampeningprogressive
-
were dampeningprogressive
-
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:
Fragile artificial-intelligence sentiment and higher borrowing costs helped dampen third-quarter dealmaking, according to Mergermarket.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026
Although investors appear to be uneasy about the leak, some analysts don’t think it will dampen sales of the game.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 25, 2026
And losing to the defending champions, who also reached last season's Champions League final, was not going to dampen their spirits.
From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026
They could also dampen other forms of consumer and business borrowing.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 11, 2026
Unwisely, I tried to dampen Madame Crommelynck's disgust.
From "Black Swan Green" by David Mitchell
"To understand whether thawing permafrost ultimately amplifies or dampens climate warming, we need to consider both the carbon released from ancient soils and the carbon consumed through rock weathering."
From Science Daily ● Jun. 20, 2026
“Forecast cuts have been widespread as higher inflation squeezes real wages, dampens consumption and raises companies’ input costs,” Fitch economists said in a report.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 5, 2026
Higher fuel prices also add to inflation, which in turn dampens odds of an interest-rate cut.
From Barron's ● Mar. 12, 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
Weak U.S. jobs data, showing nonfarm payrolls rose by only 29,000 in September, have dampened prospects of an October rate increase.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026
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
"The current fuel curve has dampened our expectations."
From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 2026
For McDuffie, who made $5.78 profit from her “Love Island” wager, the risk hasn’t dampened the appeal.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 15, 2026
There was something about Jack, something subdued about his very appearance, as if he had dampened his own hue so as not to contrast with his mother’s too brightly.
From "Breadcrumbs" by Anne Ursu
"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 prices for semiconductors and other raw materials have pushed up the prices of information-technology devices, dampening demand, he says.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 17, 2026
However, El Niño and marine heatwaves can change the timing or force of the winds, potentially dampening coastal upwelling and reducing the availability of food for sea life along the coast.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 8, 2026
Two appliances remained at the scene dampening down on Monday.
From BBC ● Sep. 7, 2026
Grandma weeps quietly, huge tears dampening her face.
From "Ghost Boys" by Jewell Parker Rhodes
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.
