as in deadened
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1
as in damped
to make or become slightly or moderately wet
dampen a paper towel with water and use it to clean up the mess
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in reduced
to reduce or weaken in strength or feeling
the oppressive heat dampened our spirits
Synonyms & Similar Words
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3
as in undermined
to deprive of emotional or intellectual vitality
nothing could dampen their enthusiasm
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dampened
Oscar Holland, CNN Money, 9 Mar. 2026
Cuba, which was already facing an energy crisis and a dampened economy prior to the ouster, is now on the brink of a major humanitarian crisis.
—Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 26 Feb. 2026
Wipe thoroughly around the rubber seal with the dampened cloth, paying extra attention to any folds, seams, and hidden crevices.
—Caroline Lubinsky, Martha Stewart, 21 Feb. 2026
Make sure the filter is not too wet, just slightly dampened.
—Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 7 Feb. 2026
Finish Planting Cover the seeds with more dampened potting mix and then gently firm again.
—Kerry Michaels, The Spruce, 21 Jan. 2026
His promise to deliver another standout season comes amid a dampened economy and ongoing geopolitical turmoil, which are denting the performance of fashion and luxury.
—Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 13 Jan. 2026
China’s antitrust regulator this week opened an investigation into the country’s e-commerce sector to target aggressive discounting that has pushed prices down and dampened margins.
—Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 13 Jan. 2026
Above her, the nightingale hit the tree trunk with a dampened thud.
—Hazlitt, 19 Nov. 2025
Morgan Chittum,matthew J. Belvedere, CNBC, 14 Mar. 2026
Use a cloth dampened with water to remove the vinegar solution, then dry all surfaces with a towel.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 13 Mar. 2026
Your basic latex makeup wedges, dampened and rubbed against the stain.
—Sophia Panych, Allure, 11 Mar. 2026
Had all those court cases and public disgraces dampened his hubris?
—Maer Roshan, HollywoodReporter, 10 Mar. 2026
Yet the glorious combination of compelling engineering and design presented over the course of two days could not be dampened.
—Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 3 Mar. 2026
The stunning ending dampened what had been a tremendous comeback as the Knights fought back from a 15-point deficit in the first half to tie the game with 25 seconds left.
—Matt Murschel, The Orlando Sentinel, 2 Mar. 2026
Water dampened 5 feet, 11 ¼ inches of the pole, the remnants of Tucson's monsoon season rainfall.
—Brandon Loomis, AZCentral.com, 2 Mar. 2026
Wipe with a mop dampened with all-purpose floor cleaner.
—Nashia Baker, Martha Stewart, 25 Feb. 2026
Adjective
The Van Gogh attribution, for instance, was subsequently matched by more conventional research, including technical analyses and studies of the artist’s letters (museum experts concluded that the portrait’s unusually dampened colors simply reflected Van Gogh’s troubled mental state at the time).
—Oscar Holland, CNN Money, 9 Mar. 2026
Cuba, which was already facing an energy crisis and a dampened economy prior to the ouster, is now on the brink of a major humanitarian crisis.
—Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 26 Feb. 2026
Wipe thoroughly around the rubber seal with the dampened cloth, paying extra attention to any folds, seams, and hidden crevices.
—Caroline Lubinsky, Martha Stewart, 21 Feb. 2026
Make sure the filter is not too wet, just slightly dampened.
—Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 7 Feb. 2026
Finish Planting Cover the seeds with more dampened potting mix and then gently firm again.
—Kerry Michaels, The Spruce, 21 Jan. 2026
His promise to deliver another standout season comes amid a dampened economy and ongoing geopolitical turmoil, which are denting the performance of fashion and luxury.
—Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 13 Jan. 2026
China’s antitrust regulator this week opened an investigation into the country’s e-commerce sector to target aggressive discounting that has pushed prices down and dampened margins.
—Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 13 Jan. 2026
Above her, the nightingale hit the tree trunk with a dampened thud.
—Hazlitt, 19 Nov. 2025
Verb
These concerns have dampened expectations for more interest rate cuts from the Federal Reserve this year.
—Morgan Chittum,matthew J. Belvedere, CNBC, 14 Mar. 2026
Use a cloth dampened with water to remove the vinegar solution, then dry all surfaces with a towel.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 13 Mar. 2026
Your basic latex makeup wedges, dampened and rubbed against the stain.
—Sophia Panych, Allure, 11 Mar. 2026
Had all those court cases and public disgraces dampened his hubris?
—Maer Roshan, HollywoodReporter, 10 Mar. 2026
Yet the glorious combination of compelling engineering and design presented over the course of two days could not be dampened.
—Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 3 Mar. 2026
The stunning ending dampened what had been a tremendous comeback as the Knights fought back from a 15-point deficit in the first half to tie the game with 25 seconds left.
—Matt Murschel, The Orlando Sentinel, 2 Mar. 2026
Water dampened 5 feet, 11 ¼ inches of the pole, the remnants of Tucson's monsoon season rainfall.
—Brandon Loomis, AZCentral.com, 2 Mar. 2026
Wipe with a mop dampened with all-purpose floor cleaner.
—Nashia Baker, Martha Stewart, 25 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dampened
Verb
-
Start with a clean cloth damped with plain water.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
9 Dec. 2025
-
Use a cotton ball damped with rubbing alcohol and rub over the area.—
Tiffany Acosta,
AZCentral.com,
15 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Benfotiamine reduced harmful brain changes while improving memory in animal experiments.—
BenfoTeam,
Daily News,
18 Mar. 2026
-
Refresh cycles were designed to be repeatable, with quality checks that reduced noise and prevented unintended drift.—
Matthew Kayser,
USA Today,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The judge said the government has undermined its history of recognizing the importance of involving independent experts in setting the national public health agenda.—
Lena H. Sun,
Washington Post,
16 Mar. 2026
-
Meanwhile, Iran undermined the documentation of the tragedy.—
Mahsa Alimardani,
The Atlantic,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
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At least, this time, unlike the December 2023 inspection, only natural juices moistened the ham and the rice looked insect-free.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
11 Mar. 2026
-
For any type of cabinet, a soft cloth lightly moistened with soapy water should do the job effectively.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
And then the steakhouse’s growth spurt dulled.—
Phillip Valys,
Sun Sentinel,
12 Mar. 2026
-
Despite running a mere 94 minutes, the film’s multiple threads are presented in a manner so outstretched their totality becomes dulled, as the inherent allure of the saga at large gradually wanes in energy.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Jared McCain caught a no-look, behind-the-back pass from Isaiah Hartenstein and drained a 3-pointer to give Oklahoma City a 91-80 lead.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
15 Mar. 2026
-
Gordon answered with his fifth 3-pointer of the game to put Denver in front, but veteran guard Marcus Smart drained his season high-tying fifth 3-pointer to put the Lakers back ahead by two points with 30 seconds left.—
Benjamin Royer,
Oc Register,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Lightly wet a microfiber cloth with warm water, being careful not to over-soak it.—
Caroline Lubinsky,
Martha Stewart,
15 Mar. 2026
-
Considerations Before Getting Started Before cleaning your sidewalks, gather some basic safety equipment such as gloves and eye protection, and protect plants and grass bordering your sidewalk from bleach and cleaners by wetting them down and covering them with plastic sheeting or old towels.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Closer cooperation between North Korea, Russia and China has blunted sanctions pressure and reduced the incentive for compromise.—
Karishma Vaswani,
Twin Cities,
15 Mar. 2026
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There's a nice bitter chocolate flavor that's blunted perfectly by the brownies' delicate sweetness.—
Kimberly Holland,
Southern Living,
10 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dampened.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dampened. Accessed 21 Mar. 2026.
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