dampen
to make something slightly wet, or to make a feeling or reaction less strong
Word origin: From Middle English dampen, related to damp, vapor or moisture.
Dampen in a sentence
Here are example sentences showing dampen in a sentence.
The poor weather did little to dampen the crowd's enthusiasm for the outdoor concert.
Not even the steady rain could dampen the crowd's enthusiasm for the long-awaited reunion.
Using “dampen” well
Dampen has a literal sense, to moisten, and a figurative one, to lessen the force of a feeling or reaction. On the GRE the figurative sense, aligning with stifle and mute, is far more common.
More GRE words starting with D
to engage in something superficially or as a casual pastime
a raised platform for speakers or honored guests
to waste time or act without urgency
marked with spots or patches of color or light
to intimidate or discourage with fear or doubt
to move slowly or waste time idly
a scarcity or shortage of something
a sudden and complete failure or collapse
Questions about “dampen”
See these words the way the GRE tests them.
Definitions in isolation do not stick. Sit a free, full-length GRE mock and meet this vocabulary inside real text completion and sentence equivalence questions, with your score and a worked solution for every answer.