dent
noun
a hollow or depression in a surface, as from a blow.
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m-s-dent-.
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:
Bigger companies have so far failed to dent Apple’s dominance.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 12, 2026
He believes there are enough vacancies at the low end of the housing market to make a sizable dent in homelessness without new construction.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2026
England's batting was chaotic on Sunday evening, explained by a desire to put a dent in the target.
From BBC ● Jun. 29, 2026
Tesla’s 5.8% drop Tuesday put the latest dent in Musk’s net worth, while SpaceX’s 16% plunge Monday hurt it even more.
From Barron's ● Jun. 24, 2026
There’s a slight dent where it’s sitting, but otherwise I can’t tell it’s even there.
From "Invisible Inkling" by Emily Jenkins
“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
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
“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
Resident Catherine Fallon said she had received a figure "in excess of £10,000" to get one of her cars repaired and there were about "150 dents" in another.
From BBC ● May 29, 2026
Although those are only small dents in the huge gains the two companies have racked up in recent months, they are signs of some nervousness around AI hardware plays.
From Barron's ● May 18, 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
“We’ll have to get it painted again and fix the dents and tears.”
From "Rickshaw Girl" by Mitali Perkins
If the recent tech selloff dented confidence around the artificial-intelligence trade, Micron Technology may have just restored it, with futures pointing to a powerful tech rally after blowout results from the memory maker.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 25, 2026
But local plumber Kenyon's campaign was dogged by past offensive remarks about women, while the fringe hard-right Restore Britain party dented Reform's vote by snagging nearly 7 percent of returns.
From Barron's ● Jun. 19, 2026
Higher energy costs have dented measures of consumer sentiment.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 10, 2026
When the helmet and two of the bracelets were revealed to have been recovered, Robert van Langh, director of the Drents Museum, said the helmet had been slightly dented but could be restored.
From BBC ● Jun. 5, 2026
Mom always bought the dented cans, even if they weren’t marked down, because she said they needed to be loved, too.
From "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls
Energy infrastructure in the region has also been hit, denting supplies over the near term.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 30, 2026
Weaker-than-expected Chinese economic data is also likely to be denting market sentiment, say the analysts.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 17, 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
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
The sounds of angry feet hitting the ground, denting the earth.
From "The Night Diary" by Veera Hiranandani
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.
