Dampen

Quick meaning: Dampen is a verb meaning (transitive) To make damp or moist; to make moderately wet.

Meaning

(transitive) To make damp or moist; to make moderately wet.

More Meanings

1. (intransitive) To become damp or moist.
2. (transitive) To lessen; to dull; to make less intense (said of emotions and non-physical things).
3. (intransitive) To become damped or deadened.
4. (transitive, proscribed) To suppress vibrations (mechanical) or oscillations (electrical) by converting energy to heat (or some other form of energy).

Example Sentences

We won't let the bad news dampen our spirits.

The firm said changes in consumer behaviour had also dampened demand for the powder.

He was dreadfully familiar with everything, and talked about some places we were longing to see in a way that considerably dampened our enthusiasm.

Pregnant women are 20 times as likely as other healthy young women to contract listeriosis, probably because in pregnancy the immune system is dampened to prevent rejection of the fetus.

Word Forms

• dampens
• dampening
• dampened

Synonyms for dampen

Depending on context, synonyms include dull, break, stifle, mute, damp, muffle.

Antonyms for dampen

Common opposites include stimulate, excite.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include damp, moisten, wash, stifle, break, weaken.

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