1
as in hole
a sunken area forming a separate space
there was a big dent in the car's hood where something had hit it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in decrease
the amount by which something is lessened
a little belt-tightening would at least make a small dent in our credit-card debt
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to reduce
to make smaller in amount, volume, or extent
hopefully this vacation won't dent our bank account too much
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of dent
Frank Landymore, Futurism, 26 Mar. 2026
Baseball’s lack of All-Stars in the Olympics has not made a dent in the growth of the game.
—Mac Engel
march 25, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Mar. 2026
Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 30 Mar. 2026
The richest man alive, Elon Musk, has countered that taxing every billionaire at 100% barely dents the $39 trillion national debt.
—Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dent
Noun
This apparent recloning limit could put a dent in a number of sci-fi sounding but already burgeoning ambitions.
—Frank Landymore, Futurism, 26 Mar. 2026
Baseball’s lack of All-Stars in the Olympics has not made a dent in the growth of the game.
—Mac Engel
march 25, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Mar. 2026
Verb
Fewer immigrants also helped dent Southern California’s overall population.
—Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 30 Mar. 2026
The richest man alive, Elon Musk, has countered that taxing every billionaire at 100% barely dents the $39 trillion national debt.
—Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 30 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dent
Noun
-
Just two weeks ago, Gary Woodland decided ot shared his struggles with post traumatic stress disorder, brought on after a September 2023 surgery, which involved a baseball-sized hole cut from the side of his head, to remove a brain lesion.—
Andrew McCarty,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Canales admits the loss of Robinson leaves a hole in the defensive line rotation.—
Mike Kaye
March 30,
Charlotte Observer,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Unemployment insurance claims stood at 202,000 in the week ending March 28, a decrease of 9,000 from the previous week, according to Labor Department data.—
Rachel Barber,
USA Today,
3 Apr. 2026
-
In addition to the decaying physical structure, Richards highlighted a decrease in correction officer staffing levels such that people inside do not feel safe.—
Steve Zeidman,
New York Daily News,
2 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Protective styles like low buns or braids can also reduce frizz throughout the day.—
Lydia Patrick,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
-
In her tenure, Colorado has taken major steps to increase price transparency, reduce hospital and prescription drug costs, and hold the health care industry accountable.—
Shaun Boyd,
CBS News,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
To round it all out, add a fire pit that brings everyone together once the sun goes down for everything from s’mores to late-night hangs.—
Toni Sutton,
PEOPLE,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Pangea’s partners mill (grind) and hydrolyze (break down using water) these pits.—
Alexandra Harrell,
Footwear News,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Construction will then move to East Belknap Street, starting May 11, through June 5, with the same lane reductions in place.—
Tiffani Jackson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
29 Mar. 2026
-
WaterWorks provides up to $300 annually off total water and sewer bills, a reduction of about 33% for roughly 1,000 customers per year.—
Frederick Melo,
Twin Cities,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The researchers used a 5 × 5 array of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers, or VCSELs, each capable of sending its own signal.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Typically cavities are found in mature trees, so having a dead tree or small pile of dead branches will actually increase your chances of Eastern bluebirds visiting your garden.—
Abby Fribush,
Southern Living,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Consider a misting device or a drop fountain.—
James Powel,
USA Today,
2 Apr. 2026
-
With a $300 price drop, this is a rare chance to grab a professional-grade, 49-inch curved monitor for a mid-range price.—
Juhi Wadia,
PC Magazine,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Estrogen decline is linked to higher total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and triglycerides.—
Amy Brownstein,
Verywell Health,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Microsoft saw its stock fall 23% over the first quarter, more than the 7% decline of the tech-heavy NASDAQ, marking the worst quarter for its share price since 2008.—
Tom Chivers,
semafor.com,
1 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dent. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
