Synonyms

put a damper on

Idioms

Discourage, dishearten, deter, as in Grandpa's death put a damper on our Christmas holidays. This idiom employs the noun damper in the sense of “something that damps or depresses the spirits,” a usage dating from the mid-1700s.

Example Sentences

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put a damper on

That could put a damper on Dutch Bros’s ambitious growth targets, said Ari Felhandler, an analyst with Morningstar who anticipates the company will fall short of its 2029 shop count goal by about 300 locations.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026

"I think it really put a damper on all the watch parties," he said.

From BBC ● Jun. 9, 2026

But only a slim margin will be left over, and that will put a damper on shareholder returns.

From Barron's ● Jun. 2, 2026

Housing activity softened around the country as heightened uncertainty and rising mortgage rates put a damper on demand.

From MarketWatch ● Apr. 15, 2026

“Hate to put a damper on your triumph, Shenice,” he says.

From "Fast Pitch" by Nic Stone

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

put a damper on

Example Sentences

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