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 dented 1 of 2
adjective
as in concave
curved inward the dented car fender bore silent testament to an accident that no one in the family was owning up to Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- concave
- hollow
- sunken
- depressed
- cupped
- dimpled
- indented
- recessed
- dished
- diminished
- compressed
- pockmarked
- cavernous
- reduced
- recurved
- contracted
- alveolar
- condensed
- crescentic
- cuplike
- cuppy
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- convex
- inflated
- swollen
- protuberant
- enlarged
- risen
- distended
- projecting
- bulbous
- protruding
- bulging
- puffy
- extended
- bloated
- expanded
- rounded
- ballooning
- blown up
- cambered
- domed
- protrusive
- spherical
- round
- puffed
- globular
- global
- jutting
dented
2 of 2verb
as in reduced
to make smaller in amount, volume, or extent hopefully this vacation won't dent our bank account too much Synonyms & Similar Words
- reduced
- decreased
- diminished
- depleted
- lowered
- slashed
- eased
- lessened
- dropped
- dwindled
- downsized
- abated
- cut
- minimized
- compressed
- nicked
- shrunk
- knocked down
- downscaled
- trimmed
- shrank
- deflated
- curtailed
- clipped
- truncated
- pared
- shortened
- constricted
- contracted
- cropped
- de-escalated
- retrenched
- pruned
- condensed
- cut down
- docked
- whittled
- modified
- cut back
- modulated
- abbreviated
- abridged
- moderated
- qualified
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- increased
- boosted
- enlarged
- inflated
- swelled
- expanded
- amplified
- augmented
- raised
- distended
- escalated
- extended
- elongated
- dilated
- prolonged
- added (to)
- lengthened
- aggrandized
- supplemented
- blew up
- protracted
- intensified
- enhanced
- complemented
- heightened
- redoubled