dent
noun
a hollow or depression in a surface, as from a blow.
dent
1 American
[dent]
/ dɛnt /
noun
-
a hollow or depression in a surface, as from a blow.
-
a noticeable effect, especially of reduction.
to leave a dent in one's savings;
a dent in one's pride.
verb (used with object)
-
dents,
present (3rd person singular)
-
dented,
past participle, past
-
denting
present participle
-
to make a dent in or on; indent.
The impact dented the car's fender.
-
to have the effect of reducing or slightly injuring.
The caustic remark dented his ego.
verb (used without object)
-
dents,
present (3rd person singular)
-
dented,
past participle, past
-
denting
present participle
-
to show dents; become indented.
Tin dents more easily than steel.
-
to sink in, making a dent.
Nails dent into metal.
idioms
-
make a dent in, to show initial progress; pass an initial stage of (work, thought, solving a problem, etc.).
I haven't even made a dent in this pile of work.
-
make a dent, to cause a person to take heed; make an impression.
The doctor told him to stop smoking, but it didn't make a dent.
dent
2
American
[dent]
/ dɛnt /
noun
-
a toothlike projection, as a tooth of a gearwheel.
-
Textiles. the space between two wires through which the warp ends are drawn in the reed of a loom.
dent-
3
American
dent.
4
American
abbreviation
-
dental.
-
dentist.
-
dentistry.
dent
1
British
/ dɛnt /
noun
-
a hollow or dip in a surface, as one made by pressure or a blow
-
an appreciable effect, esp of lessening
a dent in our resources
verb
dent
2
British
/ dɛnt /
noun
-
a toothlike protuberance, esp the tooth of a sprocket or gearwheel
-
textiles the space between two wires in a loom through which a warp thread is drawn
dent.
3
British
abbreviation
-
dental
-
dentistry
dent
More Idioms
Usage
What does dent- mean? Dent- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “tooth.” It is used in some medical and scientific terms, including in dentistry. Dent- comes from the Latin dēns, meaning “tooth.” Greek words for “tooth” are odṓn, source of the combining forms odonto- and -odont, and odoús, source of the combining form -odus. The word dent, as in "a hollow or depression in a surface," does not share a root with the combining form dent-. Learn where dent comes from at our entry for the word. What are variants of dent-?Dent- is a variant of dento-, which loses its -o- when combined with words or word elements beginning with vowels. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use dento- article. Another, more common, variant of dent-, especially before a form with a Latin root, is denti-, as in dentiform.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
dentsimple
-
dentssimple
-
have dentedperfect
-
has dentedperfect
-
am dentingprogressive
-
are dentingprogressive
-
is dentingprogressive
-
have been dentingperfect progressive
-
has been dentingperfect progressive
Past
-
dentedsimple
-
had dentedperfect
-
was dentingprogressive
-
were dentingprogressive
-
had been dentingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of dent1
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English dint, dent, dunt “blow of a weapon; stroke of a sword”; see origin at dint
Origin of dent2
First recorded in 1545–55; from Middle French, from Latin dent- (stem of dēns ) tooth
Explanation
A dent is a gouge or hollow that's left in a surface after some kind of blow. If you hit a soup pot with a hammer, it will leave a dent. Car accidents, whether they're serious or just fender benders, often result in dents. If you fall off your bike, you may get a dent in your helmet, and a mishandled package might be delivered to your door full of dents. There's also a figurative kind of dent, a reduction in amount: "You barely made a dent in that oatmeal — aren't you hungry?" Dent comes from Middle English, originally a variation on dint, "a blow dealt in fighting."
Vocabulary lists containing dent
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:
Opening lots of accounts in quick succession could dent your record, but closing an old one may boost your score.
From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2026
But the efforts barely make a dent in the bootleg market.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 11, 2026
Critics say it would destroy public support for the program and increase bureaucracy and administrative costs, while barely putting a dent in the funding crisis.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 3, 2026
Supporters hope it will put a dent in both California and the nation’s housing shortage.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2026
As Jack watched with horror, the dent slowly pushed back out with a nauseating pop.
From "Half Upon a Time" by James Riley
“A thousand dollars is not going to make a dent. But it’s a good amount to buy something like furniture.”
From Seattle Times ● May 10, 2024
“Probably. I don’t think it would really make a dent. Back in Georgia everybody we knew had an automobile.”
From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver
Even Tyrell had to admit, “No, I don’t think there was a dent. But they wouldn’t let us get off the bus to look. And we had to sit and wait forever.”
From "The Strangers" by Margaret Peterson Haddix
The golf-ball-size hail put dents in her husband’s pickup truck and ravaged their roof, according to Weidner.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 31, 2026
Hail the size of golf balls left holes in conservatory roofs and dents in cars after a storm described as "like something out of a movie".
From BBC ● May 29, 2026
But Flock’s AI-powered cameras go even further by also documenting other identifying vehicle details, such as make, model and color, as well as any distinctive markings like scratches or dents on a bumper.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 1, 2026
If the car has significant interior damage or noticeable dents and scratches, Consumer Reports notes, expect to pay extra.
From MarketWatch ● Feb. 4, 2026
After a while, I make more dents on my feet, legs, arms, and face.
From "First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers" by Loung Ung
AvaTrade trading specialist Simon Friedman said Apple’s turn to Chinese memory chips “was the one scenario that could have genuinely dented U.S. suppliers’ pricing power over the next few years.”
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 17, 2026
Even though beef prices are at record levels due to a nationwide cattle shortage, that hasn’t dented demand.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 10, 2026
Sentiment towards the memory chip makers was dented Wednesday by weaker-than-expected guidance from U.S. peer Sandisk.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 6, 2026
But the company's earnings press release said profitability was dented by lower vehicle sales prices, lower revenue from regulatory credits and unspecified "energy warranty-related charges."
From Barron's ● Jul. 22, 2026
Stopped, beside a pickup truck with a broken headlight and a dented fender.
From "The Season of Styx Malone" by Kekla Magoon
Energy infrastructure in the region has also been hit, denting supplies over the near term.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 30, 2026
Europe's beleaguered top economy, especially its energy-hungry manufacturers, have been hit hard by the energy shock unleashed by the war, denting hopes of a strong rebound this year.
From Barron's ● Jun. 9, 2026
Southwest reported a first-quarter profit of $227 million, with higher fuel costs denting earnings by 22 cents a share.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 22, 2026
Focusing on earnings might ultimately be a way to cut through the increasing noise that has been denting stocks recently.
From Barron's ● Feb. 27, 2026
She sat up now, her elbows denting the pillow as she looked into my face.
From "Invisible Man" by Ralph Ellison
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.
