Dictionary

dampen en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /ˈdæmpən/
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

From damp + -en.

Meanings

1. (transitive) To make damp or moist; to make moderately wet.
2. (intransitive) To become damp or moist.
3. (transitive) To lessen; to dull; to make less intense (said of emotions and non-physical things).
   • We won't let the bad news dampen our spirits.
   • The firm said changes in consumer behaviour had also dampened demand for the powder. 2020 May 20, “J&J to sell baby powder in UK despite stopping US sales”, in BBC, London: BBC, retrieved 22 May 2020:
   • He was dreadfully familiar with everything, and talked about some places we were longing to see in a way that considerably dampened our enthusiasm. 1883 "Pomona's Daughter", Frank R. Stockton, in The Century, vol. XXVI, number 1, May, page 25
   • Pregnant women are 20 times as likely as other healthy young women to contract listeriosis, probably because in pregnancy the immune system is dampened to prevent rejection of the fetus. 2007 October 16, Jane E. Brody, “Despite Strides, Listeria Needs Vigilance”, in The New York Times:
4. (proscribed, transitive) To suppress vibrations (mechanical) or oscillations (electrical) by converting energy to heat (or some other form of energy).
5. (intransitive) To become damped or deadened.

Forms

Deriveds

dampen off · dampener · undampened · dampen down · dampeningly · redampen

Translations (42)

ru увлажни́ть (make damp — see also moisten) · ru увлажня́ть (make damp — see also moisten) · ca esmorteir (become damp, to deaden) · fr mouiller (make damp — see also moisten) · sk navlhčiť (make damp — see also moisten) · de anfeuchten (make damp — see also moisten) · de befeuchten (make damp — see also moisten) · bg навлажнявам се (become damp, to deaden) · uk зволо́жувати (make damp — see also moisten) · bg навлажнявам (make damp — see also moisten) · es humedecer (make damp — see also moisten) · mi kōmau (depress, lessen) · hu megnedvesít (make damp — see also moisten) · nl bedrukken (depress, lessen) · io arozetar (make damp — see also moisten) · bg обезсърчавам (depress, lessen) · fr humecter (make damp — see also moisten) · io humideskar (become damp, to deaden) · it inumidire (make damp — see also moisten) · de dämpfen (depress, lessen) · fr humidifier (make damp — see also moisten) · uk зволо́жити (make damp — see also moisten) · fr s'humecter (become damp, to deaden) · es humectar (make damp — see also moisten) · fr rabaisser (depress, lessen) · hu nedvesít (make damp — see also moisten) · sv fukta (make damp — see also moisten) · es amortiguarse (become damp, to deaden) · bg угнетявам (depress, lessen) · sv väta (make damp — see also moisten) · nl dempen (depress, lessen) · es mojar (make damp — see also moisten) · enm moisten (make damp — see also moisten) · mi whakamākūkū (make damp — see also moisten) · es reducir (depress, lessen) · fi kostuttaa (make damp — see also moisten) · fr s'humidifier (become damp, to deaden) · sv dämpa (depress, lessen) · fr déprécier (depress, lessen) · bg овлажнявам (make damp — see also moisten) · mi whakanoti (depress, lessen) · es deprimir (depress, lessen)