dim

[ dim ]

/ dɪm /

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See synonyms for dim on Thesaurus.com

adjective, dim·mer, dim·mest.

not bright; obscure from lack of light or emitted light: a dim room; a dim flashlight.

not seen clearly or in detail; indistinct: a dim object in the distance.

not clear to the mind; vague: a dim idea.

not brilliant; dull in luster: a dim color.

not clear or distinct to the senses; faint: a dim sound.

not seeing clearly: eyes dim with tears.

tending to be unfavorable; not likely to happen, succeed, be favorable, etc.: a dim chance of winning.

not understanding clearly.

rather stupid; dim-witted.

verb (used with object), dimmed, dim·ming.

to make dim or dimmer.

to switch (the headlights of a vehicle) from the high to the low beam.

verb (used without object), dimmed, dim·ming.

to become or grow dim or dimmer.

Verb Phrases

dim out, (in wartime) to reduce the night illumination of (a city, ship, etc.) to make it less visible from the air or sea, as a protection from enemy aircraft or ships.

OTHER WORDS FOR dim

3 unclear, faint, indefinite, indistinct, fuzzy, hazy.

10 darken, cloud.

12 dull, fade.

See synonyms for dim on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

WILL YOU SAIL OR STUMBLE ON THESE GRAMMAR QUESTIONS?

Smoothly step over to these common grammar mistakes that trip many people up. Good luck!

Question 1 of 7

Fill in the blank: I can’t figure out _____ gave me this gift.

who

whom

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Idioms about dim

take a dim view of, to regard with disapproval, skepticism, or dismay: Her mother takes a dim view of her choice of friends.

Origin of dim

before 1000; Middle English, Old English dim(me), cognate with Old Frisian dim,Old Norse dimmr

synonym study for dim

1. See dark.

OTHER WORDS FROM dim

dimly, adverbdim·ma·ble, adjectivedimness, nounun·dim, adjective

un·dim·ly, adverbun·dimmed, adjective

Words nearby dim

dilute, dilution, diluvial, diluvialism, diluvium, dim, DiMaggio, Dimashq, Dimbleby, dimbulb, dime

Other definitions for dim (2 of 3)

dim.¹

abbreviation

(in prescriptions) one-half.

Origin of dim.

From the Latin word dīmidius

Other definitions for dim (3 of 3)

dim.²

abbreviation

dimension.

diminish.

diminuendo.

diminutive.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

MORE ABOUT DIM

What does dim mean?

Dim describes something as lacking light or having a weak brightness, as in a dim flashlight or a dim tunnel.

Dim also describes things that are unclear, because of poor visibility, a weak understanding, or a more general lack of clarity, as in a dim shape in the distance, a dim noise, or a dim knowledge of math.

Dim also describes having weak or poor vision, as in Jane’s eyes were dim with tears.

Dim can be used to mean lacking mental ability or having low intelligence. However, this is almost always considered insulting.

As a verb, dim means to make something dim or less bright, as in He dimmed the lights. It can also be used to mean to grow dim or dimmer, as in The noise of the engine dimmed as the car drove out of sight.

Example: Although the tunnel was dim, the faint candlelight guided the miner back to the surface.

Where does dim come from?

The first records of dim come from before 1000. It ultimately comes from the Old English dimm, which is related to the Old Norse dimmr, meaning “gloomy” or “dark.”

The word dark is similar to dim but usually means a complete absence of light. A dark room would be one with the lights completely turned off, while a dim room still has a small, faint amount of light.

Dim is used to mean “disapproving” or “unfavorable” in the idiom take a dim view of, as in Her boss took a dim view of her constantly falling asleep at work.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to dim?

dimly (adverb)
dimmable (adjective)
dimmer (noun)
undim (adjective)

What are some synonyms for dim?

What are some words that share a root or word element with dim?

dimwit

What are some words that often get used in discussing dim?

How is dim used in real life?

Dim is commonly used, especially to mean a lack of brightness.

I look good in very dim lighting

— lexis (@alexisdeluna_) September 13, 2020

I had a dim idea that if I walked the streets of New York all night something of the city's mystery and magnificence might rub off on to me.

— Sylvia Plath (@itssylviaplath) May 28, 2015

The Andromeda galaxy is larger than the moon in the sky, but it is usually too dim to see.

— UberFacts (@UberFacts) November 21, 2014

Try using dim!

Which of the following is NOT a synonym of dim?

A. clear
B. shadowy
C. dark
D. blurry

How to use dim in a sentence

Soon we had the entire garden to ourselves — we encountered fewer than a dozen people the entire weekend — and as the light dimmed behind an overcast sky, the three of us perched on a ledge near the trail’s end.
A day’s drive from Chicago, exploring a very different Illinois|Carson Vaughan|February 12, 2021|Washington Post
It’s during this dim period, when the stars still mingle with the moon in the sky but the sun announces that it’s on its way, that I’ve maintained a tenuous hold on the outside world through surfing.
The Spark After the Darkness|Bonnie Tsui|February 6, 2021|Outside Online
This is Delaware, home of presidents and seekers of information about Cantonese dim sum to be served during the Super Bowl.
The 2021 Super Bowl food map is a deep dive into America’s weird culinary underbelly|Matt Bonesteel|February 2, 2021|Washington Post
On a per-36-minutes and per-100-possessions basis, Randle is diming up his teammates more than he ever previously had.
The Only Thing Keeping The Knicks Offense Afloat Is Julius Randle’s Turn As A Point Guard|Jared Dubin|January 28, 2021|FiveThirtyEight

When researchers look for far-off planets, they do so by watching stars and noting when planets pass in front of them, measuring the resulting dim in brightness.
These 6 exoplanets somehow orbit their star in perfect rhythm|Charlie Wood|January 27, 2021|Popular-Science
Justin gazed out from the dim interior as more than 300 police motorcycles from dozens of jurisdictions rumbled past.
Choking Back Tears, Thousands of Cops Honor Fallen Officer Ramos|Michael Daly|December 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The essential fault lies not with the stars around him, however dim, but with himself.
Before Ditching His Top Aides, Obama Should Look in the Mirror|Leslie H. Gelb|November 2, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Below, the thick marshland and dim lights created a scene that Breman describes as “Joseph Conrad territory.”
The Original Ebola Hunter|Abby Haglage|September 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In a dim backroom of a mud hut in Save, 82-year-old Teresa Nyirabutunda sits propped upright in bed by her daughter, Francine.
After the Genocide, Rwanda’s Widows Aging Alone|Nina Strochlic|August 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
My concerns about the study do not dim my admiration for the fund itself or the work that it does.
How to Tell When a Scientific Study Is Total B.S.|Russell Saunders|August 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
She opened the letter by the flickering firelight, which was stronger on the hearthrug than the light of the dim November day.
Hilda Lessways|Arnold Bennett
Dr. Ashton walked out of the chapel, and Val stood for a few moments where he was, looking up and down in the dim light.
Elster's Folly|Mrs. Henry Wood
Any moment, if he looked up, he would meet eyes—eyes that gazed with dim yet definite recognition into his own across the night.
The Wave|Algernon Blackwood
The contrast between the open street and the enclosed stuffiness of the dim and crowded interior was overwhelming.
Hilda Lessways|Arnold Bennett
By the dim light of the campfire they saw what they supposed were the sleeping forms of their enemies.
The Courier of the Ozarks|Byron A. Dunn

British Dictionary definitions for dim

dim

/ (dɪm) /

adjective dimmer or dimmest

badly illuminateda dim room

not clearly seen; indistinct; fainta dim shape

having weak or indistinct visioneyes dim with tears

lacking in understanding; mentally dull

not clear in the mind; obscurea dim memory

lacking in brilliance, brightness, or lustrea dim colour

tending to be unfavourable; gloomy or disapproving (esp in the phrase take a dim view)

verb dims, dimming or dimmed

to become or cause to become dim

(tr) to cause to seem less bright, as by comparison

US and Canadian (tr) to switch (car headlights) from the main to the lower beamAlso called (in Britain and certain other countries): dip

Derived forms of dim

dimly, adverbdimness, noun

Word Origin for dim

Old English dimm; related to Old Norse dimmr gloomy, dark

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with dim

dim

see take a dim view.