DAMPEN

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does dampen mean? 

• DAMPEN (verb)
  The verb DAMPEN has 7 senses:

1. suppress or constrain so as to lessen in intensity

2. make moist

3. deaden (a sound or noise), especially by wrapping

4. reduce the amplitude (of oscillations or waves)

5. make vague or obscure or make (an image) less visible

6. check; keep in check (a fire)

7. lessen in force or effect

  Familiarity information: DAMPEN used as a verb is common.

 Dictionary entry details 

• DAMPEN (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they dampen    ... he / she / it dampens   
Past simple: dampened   
Past participle: dampened   
-ing form: dampening   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Suppress or constrain so as to lessen in intensity

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

dampen; stifle

Context example:

Stifle your curiosity

Hypernyms (to "dampen" is one way to...):

bottle up; inhibit; suppress (consciously restrain from showing; of emotions, desires, impulses, or behavior)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "dampen"):

choke; suffocate (suppress the development, creativity, or imagination of)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 2

Meaning:

Make moist

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

dampen; moisten; wash

Context example:

The dew moistened the meadows

Hypernyms (to "dampen" is one way to...):

wet (cause to become wet)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "dampen"):

humidify; moisturise; moisturize (make (more) humid)

baste (cover with liquid before cooking)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

dampener (a device that dampens or moistens something)

dampening (the act of making something slightly wet)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Deaden (a sound or noise), especially by wrapping

Classified under:

Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling

Synonyms:

damp; dampen; dull; muffle; mute; tone down

Hypernyms (to "dampen" is one way to...):

soften (make (images or sounds) soft or softer)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 4

Meaning:

Reduce the amplitude (of oscillations or waves)

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "dampen" is one way to...):

weaken (lessen the strength of)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 5

Meaning:

Make vague or obscure or make (an image) less visible

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

damp; dampen; deaden

Context example:

muffle the message

Hypernyms (to "dampen" is one way to...):

break; damp; dampen; soften; weaken (lessen in force or effect)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 6

Meaning:

Check; keep in check (a fire)

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "dampen" is one way to...):

check; delay; retard (slow the growth or development of)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 7

Meaning:

Lessen in force or effect

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

break; damp; dampen; soften; weaken

Context example:

break a fall

Hypernyms (to "dampen" is one way to...):

blunt; deaden (make less lively, intense, or vigorous; impair in vigor, force, activity, or sensation)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "dampen"):

deafen (make soundproof)

damp; dampen; deaden (make vague or obscure or make (an image) less visible)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

 Context examples 

These changes can be dampened or reversed following exposure to warmer temperatures.

(Cool temperature alters human fat and metabolism, NIH)

It also significantly dampened the mice's preference for cocaine.

(What Causes Cocaine Addiction, NIH, US)

I did not wish Maud’s spirits to be dampened by such a find, so I turned seaward again with our boat and skirted the north-eastern point of the island.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

When delivered after morphine treatment, cytokine inhibition dampened the prolonged sensitivity.

(Opioid Pain Relievers May Prolong Pain, NIH)

The efference-copy dampens the brain's response to self-generated vocalisations, giving less mental resources to these sounds, because they are so predictable.

(Talking to Ourselves And Voices in Our Heads, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

The researchers also observed that scarring and immune responses were downregulated in the bioreactor-treated frogs, suggesting that the added progesterone dampened the body's natural reaction to injury in a way that benefited the regeneration process.

(Scientists Help Frogs to Regenerate Their Limbs with Bioreactor Device, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

The straw seats of the car hovered on the edge of combustion; the woman next to me perspired delicately for a while into her white shirtwaist, and then, as her newspaper dampened under her fingers, lapsed despairingly into deep heat with a desolate cry.

(The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald)