make a dent in

Idioms  

1. Begin to accomplish or consume something, as in I've barely made a dent in this pile of correspondence, or Help us put a dent in this pie. This metaphoric expression alludes to striking a blow to make a physical indentation in something.

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Example Sentences

Councils already have the power to issue on the spot penalties of £150 for littering, and the uplift is unlikely to make a dent in super sites which can cost millions to clean up.

From BBC

"We just didn't have the strength to make a dent in them."

From BBC

Even with all this, the Rams were driving in the fourth quarter with a chance to take the lead or at least make a dent in a four-point deficit when another decision went bad.

From Los Angeles Times

The 30-year-old's desire to make a dent in the head-to-head was evident in a spirited second-set display but he was ultimately unable to match Zverev once the German raised his level.

From BBC

Cerebras, founded about a decade ago, has struggled in recent years to make a dent in the semiconductor market.

From The Wall Street Journal