dent
1 of 5verb
ˈdent 
dented; denting; dents
transitive verb
1
: to make a dent in
dent a car
2
: to have a weakening effect on
intransitive verb
: to form a dent by sinking inward : become dented
dent
2 of 5noun (1)
1
: a depression or hollow made by a blow or by pressure
2
: an appreciable impression or effect often made against resistance
hasn't made a dent in the problem
specifically : a weakening or lessening effect
costs that have made a dent in the budget
dent
3 of 5noun (2)
: tooth sense 2a
dent
4 of 5abbreviation
dental; dentist; dentistry
dent-
5 of 5combining form
variants or denti- or dento-
: tooth : teeth
dentiform
Synonyms
Verb
- abate
- de-escalate
- decrease
- deplete
- diminish
- downscale
- downsize
- drop
- dwindle
- ease
- knock down
- lessen
- lower
- reduce
Noun (1)
- cavity
- concavity
- depression
- dint
- hole
- hollow
- indentation
- indenture
- pit
- recess
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Verb I'm afraid I dented the wall pretty badly when I was hammering in that nail. Many of the cans were badly dented. Some types of metal dent more easily than others. The team's confidence has been dented by a recent series of losses.
Word History
Etymology
Verb
Middle English, short for indenten to make dents in, indent
Noun (2)
French, literally, tooth, from Latin dent-, dens
Combining form
Middle English denti-, from Latin, from dent-, dens tooth — more at tooth
First Known Use
Verb
14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1
Noun (1)
1565, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Noun (2)
1703, in the meaning defined above
Phrases Containing dent
Kids Definition
dent 1 of 2
verb
ˈdent
dented; denting
1
: to make a hollow mark in or on
I dented my car.
2
: to become damaged by a hollow mark
dent
2 of 2noun
: a notch or hollow mark made in a surface by a blow or by pressure
Medical Definition
dent
abbreviation
dental; dentist; dentistry
Biographical Definition
Dent
biographical name
ˈdent
Joseph Mal*a*by ˈma-lə-bē 1849–1926 English publisher
1849–1926 English publisher dent 1 of 2
noun
1
as in hole
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
Relevance
- hole
- pit
- cavity
- dint
- hollow
- furrow
- indentation
- concavity
- ditch
- depression
- recess
- impression
- bowl
- valley
- pocket
- trench
- cave
- burrow
- gouge
- excavation
- groove
- dimple
- crater
- indenture
- cavern
- basin
- gutter
- alcove
- socket
- cleft
- imprint
- opening
- nook
- trough
- pothole
- vacuum
- niche
- notch
- sinkhole
- well
- chasm
- wallow
- abyss
- water hole
- void
- alveolus
- borehole
- posthole
- gulf
- vacuity
- chuckhole
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- bulge
- projection
- protrusion
- rise
- hill
- protuberance
- convexity
- camber
- bump
- swelling
- tumor
- mound
- jut
- swell
- lump
- hump
- bunch
- pimple
2
as in decrease
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
- decrease
- reduction
- drop
- decline
- shrinkage
- diminution
- slump
- decrement
- loss
- diminishment
- falloff
- depletion
- depression
- fall
- drop-off
- cut
- abatement
- downturn
- slip
- deduction
- cutback
- step-down
- subtraction
- retrenchment
- curtailment
- shortening
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- increase
- boost
- raise
- uptick
- rise
- increment
- enlargement
- gain
- addition
- accumulation
- supplement
- extension
- accretion
- continuation
- upturn
- accrual
- step-up
- upswing
- uptrend
dent
2 of 2verb
as in to reduce
to make smaller in amount, volume, or extent hopefully this vacation won't dent our bank account too much Synonyms & Similar Words
- reduce
- decrease
- lower
- deplete
- diminish
- ease
- lessen
- slash
- cut
- minimize
- abate
- drop
- downsize
- dwindle
- pare
- downscale
- shrink
- knock down
- compress
- crop
- trim
- curtail
- whittle
- nick
- retrench
- cut down
- cut back
- dock
- constrict
- deflate
- truncate
- condense
- contract
- clip
- shorten
- de-escalate
- moderate
- abridge
- prune
- modify
- modulate
- qualify
- abbreviate
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- increase
- boost
- raise
- augment
- expand
- swell
- inflate
- enlarge
- amplify
- extend
- escalate
- prolong
- add (to)
- aggrandize
- blow up
- elongate
- dilate
- enhance
- lengthen
- supplement
- distend
- complement
- intensify
- heighten
- protract
- redouble