DIM (dimmed, dimmer, dimmest, dimming)

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

Irregular inflected forms: dimmed    , dimmer    , dimmest    , dimming   

 Dictionary entry overview: What does dim mean? 

• DIM (adjective)
  The adjective DIM has 5 senses:

1. lacking in light; not bright or harsh

2. lacking clarity or distinctness

3. made dim or less bright

4. offering little or no hope

5. slow to learn or understand; lacking intellectual acuity

  Familiarity information: DIM used as an adjective is common.

• DIM (verb)
  The verb DIM has 5 senses:

1. switch (a car's headlights) from a higher to a lower beam

2. become dim or lusterless

3. make dim or lusterless

4. make dim by comparison or conceal

5. become vague or indistinct

  Familiarity information: DIM used as a verb is common.

 Dictionary entry details 

• DIM (adjective)

Comparative: dimmer   
Superlative: dimmest   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Lacking in light; not bright or harsh

Synonyms:

dim; subdued

Context example:

subdued lights and soft music

Similar:

dark (devoid of or deficient in light or brightness; shadowed or black)

Derivation:

dimness (the property of lights or sounds that lack brilliance or are reduced in intensity)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Lacking clarity or distinctness

Synonyms:

dim; faint; shadowy; vague; wispy

Context example:

a few wispy memories of childhood

Similar:

indistinct (not clearly defined or easy to perceive or understand)

Derivation:

dimness (the quality of being dim or lacking contrast)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Made dim or less bright

Synonyms:

dim; dimmed

Context example:

we like dimmed lights when we have dinner

Similar:

low-beam (used of headlights)

Derivation:

dimness (the state of being poorly illuminated)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Offering little or no hope

Synonyms:

black; bleak; dim

Context example:

took a dim view of things

Similar:

hopeless (without hope because there seems to be no possibility of comfort or success)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Slow to learn or understand; lacking intellectual acuity

Synonyms:

dense; dim; dull; dumb; obtuse; slow

Context example:

worked with the slow students

Similar:

stupid (lacking or marked by lack of intellectual acuity)

• DIM (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they dim    ... he / she / it dims   
Past simple: dimmed   
Past participle: dimmed   
-ing form: dimming   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Switch (a car's headlights) from a higher to a lower beam

Classified under:

Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling

Synonyms:

dim; dip

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

change intensity (increase or decrease in intensity)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 2

Meaning:

Become dim or lusterless

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

the lights dimmed and the curtain rose

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

change (undergo a change; become different in essence; losing one's or its original nature)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Sense 3

Meaning:

Make dim or lusterless

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

Time had dimmed the silver

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

darken (make dark or darker)

Sentence frames:

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

Sense 4

Meaning:

Make dim by comparison or conceal

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

blind; dim

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

darken (make dark or darker)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

Sense 5

Meaning:

Become vague or indistinct

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

blur; dim; slur

Context example:

The distinction between the two theories blurred

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

weaken (become weaker)

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

efface; obliterate (remove completely from recognition or memory)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

 Context examples 

In the dim light I saw his head thrown forward, his whole attitude rigid with attention.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

It had cleared in the morning, and the sun was shining with a subdued brightness through the dim veil which hangs over the great city.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

My eyes are dim, and I must stiffen my soul to see.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

In the dim light I could make out that the person who had opened the door was a small, mean-looking, middle-aged man with rounded shoulders.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

To Martin the future did not seem so dim. Success trembled just before him.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

Something suspiciously akin to moistness dimmed her beautiful eyes before she dropped them and partly turned away her head.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

The Sunland was very dim and distant, and such memories had no power over him.

(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)

Twenty Eight, I understood, was also a bright particular star; but it was his misfortune to have his glory a little dimmed by the extraordinary lustre of Twenty Seven.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

We were both silent for a while; and as I looked towards the window I saw the first dim streak of the coming dawn.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

You might see Earth’s reflected light in the dim glow.

(Earthshine, NASA)