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

See Examples For:

make a dent in

But the efforts barely make a dent in the bootleg market.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 11, 2026

Murphy’s fellow representative, Democrat Zac Ista, told ProPublica he hadn’t been able to make a dent in this legislature.

From Salon ● Jun. 8, 2026

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 ● Jan. 23, 2026

Still, the payments didn’t appear to make a dent in her loan balance, she said.

From MarketWatch ● Dec. 19, 2025

The money didn't mean anything to Ishtar—I doubted it would make a dent in her account—but make a deal with a god?

From "City of the Plague God" by Sarwat Chadda