1
as in holes
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in reductions
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 reduces
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
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Recent Examples of dents
Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 15 Sep. 2025
Fill in any deeper scratches or dents with a wax wood repair kit to match.
—Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 5 Sep. 2025
Speculation has also risen over whether the couple posed for the pictures after their record-breaking appearance together on Kelce's own podcast, New Heights, due to the dents in Swift's hear resembling the kind that headphones can create.
—Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Aug. 2025
Deep dents often have sharp points.
—David J. Neal
updated August 22, Miami Herald, 22 Aug. 2025
Additional images from the scene showed the damage to the bus, which included dents along the top and sides, broken doors and several missing parts.
—Brenton Blanchet, People.com, 16 Aug. 2025
Jordan King, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Aug. 2025
For example, if a falling tree branch breaks your windshield or hail dents your car, comprehensive coverage can pay for repairs.
—Brandi D. Addison, jsonline.com, 11 Aug. 2025
Noun
Amazon reviewers love how the mug resists dents even after countless drops.
—Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 15 Sep. 2025
Fill in any deeper scratches or dents with a wax wood repair kit to match.
—Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 5 Sep. 2025
Speculation has also risen over whether the couple posed for the pictures after their record-breaking appearance together on Kelce's own podcast, New Heights, due to the dents in Swift's hear resembling the kind that headphones can create.
—Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Aug. 2025
Deep dents often have sharp points.
—David J. Neal
updated August 22, Miami Herald, 22 Aug. 2025
Additional images from the scene showed the damage to the bus, which included dents along the top and sides, broken doors and several missing parts.
—Brenton Blanchet, People.com, 16 Aug. 2025
Verb
Whether this latest controversy dents MrBeast's online empire or prompts wider scrutiny of influencer accountability remains to be seen.
—Jordan King, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Aug. 2025
For example, if a falling tree branch breaks your windshield or hail dents your car, comprehensive coverage can pay for repairs.
—Brandi D. Addison, jsonline.com, 11 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dents
Noun
-
This set includes six hangers, each designed with five holes that can hold five garments both horizontally (up to 6 pounds) and vertically (up to 8 pounds).—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
16 Sep. 2025
-
Several bullet holes, a pile of sheets, clothing and cardboard covered in blood were all found at the scene, along with an AR-style rifle, other guns and several pools of blood, according to the outlet.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
People.com,
15 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Gary Hershorn | Corbis News | Getty Images Spirit Airlines told employees to prepare for a lighter schedule and more headcount reductions, CNBC's Leslie Josephs learned last night.—
Alex Harring,
CNBC,
18 Sep. 2025
-
More expensive debt can restrict business growth opportunities, so interest-rate reductions tend to benefit stock prices.—
Catherine Brock,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Encouraging young adults to take on progressively larger responsibilities — whether through part-time work, volunteering or managing household duties — builds competence and reduces fear.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
13 Sep. 2025
-
This reduces the chance that graphic or violent content slips into your feed.—
Annie Margaret,
The Conversation,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Firefighters are working to extinguish hotspots, burning tree stumps, and hot ash pits to ensure there is no threat to containment lines.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
12 Sep. 2025
-
To mine the site, Perpetua would operate across three open pits and use cyanide for processing next to the East Fork South Fork Salmon River.—
Kevin Fixler,
Idaho Statesman,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
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By getting parents involved, Desert Star has seen decreases in chronic absenteeism and fewer suspensions, Vaughn said.—
Erick Trevino,
AZCentral.com,
14 Sep. 2025
-
The president's announcement came just days after Memphis police reported decreases across every major crime category in the first eight months of 2025 compared to the same period in previous years.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
13 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Yes, dental cavities are common.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
13 Sep. 2025
-
In addition to maintaining good oral hygiene habits at home, such as brushing and flossing, experts recommend tactics like drinking plenty of water, limiting snacks and sugary foods, and quitting smoking to help prevent cavities.—
Cristina Mutchler,
Verywell Health,
4 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Today’s critics note that fluoride is now available in toothpaste, as well as in ingestible drops and tablets like the ones for children that the FDA is working to remove from the marketplace.—
Anna Clark,
ProPublica,
18 Sep. 2025
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Rinse the filter under water, using a couple of drops of dish soap if needed.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
18 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Comfort definitely improved, but performance didn’t always keep pace — there were times when traction suffered, leading to more slipping and, in my opinion, the softer spikes could leave deeper indentations on greens that sometimes-affected putting.—
Vicki M. Young,
Footwear News,
12 Sep. 2025
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Mabel is able to shade in the adjacent page to read the pencil indentations, which at first seems to be just more notes on birds.—
Tom Smyth,
Vulture,
9 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dents.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dents. Accessed 20 Sep. 2025.
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