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• 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.

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verb (used with object)

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)

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.

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dent- ³ American  

1. variant of denti- before a vowel.

   dentin.

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dent. ⁴ American  

abbreviation

1. dental.

2. dentist.

3. dentistry.

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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

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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

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dent. ³ British  

abbreviation

1. dental

2. dentistry

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dent More Idioms  

1. see make a dent in.

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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

• undented
  adjective

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

Investors may be fretting that bringing forward some deliveries will put a dent in shipment numbers for the current quarter, which could weigh on earnings and sales.

From Barron's • May 5, 2026

Or, more specifically, making a dent in them.

From Salon • May 5, 2026

"That is a big dent in the title race for Manchester City, but you have got to pick yourself up and go again," former Blackpool midfielder Charlie Adam said on BBC Radio 5 Live.

From BBC • May 4, 2026

In other words, eliminating all of this overspending, even if that were possible, wouldn’t make a dent in total spending.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 29, 2026

I didn't want to dent the morning's shine by stammering, so I tried to slip by Mr. Castle without being seen.

From "Black Swan Green" by David Mitchell

Related Words

• incision
• indentation