Jump To:

• dent
  dent

  noun

  a hollow or depression in a surface, as from a blow.
• dent-
  dent-

  variant of denti- before a vowel.
• dent.
  dent.

  abbreviation

  dental.

dent

¹ American  

[dent] / dɛnt /

noun

1. a hollow or depression in a surface, as from a blow.

2. 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

1. to make a dent in or on; indent.

   The impact dented the car's fender.

2. 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

1. to show dents; become indented.

   Tin dents more easily than steel.

2. to sink in, making a dent.

   Nails dent into metal.

idioms

1. 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.

2. 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

1. a toothlike projection, as a tooth of a gearwheel.

2. Textiles. the space between two wires through which the warp ends are drawn in the reed of a loom.

---

dent- ³ American  

1. variant of denti- before a vowel.

   dentin.

---

dent. ⁴ American  

abbreviation

1. dental.

2. dentist.

3. dentistry.

---

dent ¹ British  

/ dɛnt /

noun

1. a hollow or dip in a surface, as one made by pressure or a blow

2. an appreciable effect, esp of lessening

   a dent in our resources

---

verb

1. to impress or be impressed with a dent or dents

dent ² British  

/ dɛnt /

noun

1. a toothlike protuberance, esp the tooth of a sprocket or gearwheel

2. textiles the space between two wires in a loom through which a warp thread is drawn

---

dent. ³ British  

abbreviation

1. dental

2. dentistry

---

dent More Idioms  

1. see make a dent in.

---

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

• undented
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• denting
  present
• dented
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• dent
  simple
• dents
  simple
• have dented
  perfect
• has dented
  perfect
• am denting
  progressive
• are denting
  progressive
• is denting
  progressive
• have been denting
  perfect progressive
• has been denting
  perfect progressive

Past

• dented
  simple
• had dented
  perfect
• was denting
  progressive
• were denting
  progressive
• had been denting
  perfect progressive

Future

• will dent
  simple
• will have dented
  perfect
• will be denting
  progressive
• will have been denting
  perfect progressive

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."

Example Sentences

What a setback for anyone who saw a childhood ruined by Bucky Dent, or yanks the plug when the jukebox cranks up Billy Joel.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 8, 2026

Wallace was replaced by Dent, who appeared with Torode on the last series of Celebrity MasterChef.

From BBC • Jun. 3, 2026

Locatelli, a chef and restauranteur who currently appears on the Italian version of the amateur cooking show, will be seen alongside Grace Dent on the next UK celebrity series, which has already been filmed.

From BBC • Jun. 3, 2026

Headquartered north of Atlanta, Phoenix Air is the brainchild of two brothers, Mark and Dent Thompson.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 20, 2026

It seemed Mrs. Dent had not studied that science: though, as she said, she liked flowers, “especially wild ones;” Miss Ingram had, and she ran over its vocabulary with an air.

From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë

Related Words

• incision
• indentation