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Synonyms

put a damper on

Idioms  

  1. 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

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

But it could put a damper on the Rose Parade, beginning with the spectators camping out along Colorado Boulevard on New Year’s Eve to secure a prime viewing spot.

From Los Angeles Times

However, uneasiness over the sustainability of the AI trade persists, which could put a damper on investors’ spirits.

From MarketWatch

Then came the dual writers’ and actors’ strikes in 2023 that put a damper on production again.

From Los Angeles Times

It’s likely that Thursday’s storm will be more beneficial than hazardous, helping to further put a damper on the autumn fire season.

From Los Angeles Times

High housing costs have long put a damper on sales.

From Barron's

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.