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 dents 1 of 2
noun
1
as in holes
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
- holes
- pits
- cavities
- dints
- indentations
- furrows
- hollows
- depressions
- concavities
- ditches
- recesses
- valleys
- pockets
- trenches
- indentures
- grooves
- bowls
- gouges
- excavations
- craters
- caves
- caverns
- impressions
- dimples
- burrows
- gutters
- basins
- alcoves
- openings
- potholes
- sockets
- nooks
- clefts
- troughs
- imprints
- sinkholes
- notches
- wells
- vacuums
- voids
- alveoli
- water holes
- chasms
- abysses
- niches
- boreholes
- wallows
- postholes
- vacuities
- chuckholes
- vacua
- gulfs
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- bulges
- projections
- protrusions
- protuberances
- hills
- mounds
- bumps
- tumors
- convexities
- cambers
- pimples
- swellings
- lumps
- rises
- juts
- humps
- swells
- bunches
2
as in reductions
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
- reductions
- decreases
- drops
- declines
- depressions
- shrinkages
- losses
- falls
- slumps
- depletions
- diminutions
- drop-offs
- decrements
- diminishments
- subtractions
- falloffs
- abatements
- deductions
- downturns
- step-downs
- cuts
- cutbacks
- retrenchments
- slips
- curtailments
- shortenings
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- gains
- increases
- enlargements
- accumulations
- additions
- increments
- upticks
- accretions
- boosts
- raises
- rises
- extensions
- accruals
- supplements
- upturns
- continuations
- step-ups
- upswings
- uptrends
dents
2 of 2verb
as in reduces
to make smaller in amount, volume, or extent hopefully this vacation won't dent our bank account too much Synonyms & Similar Words
- reduces
- decreases
- eases
- depletes
- lowers
- slashes
- diminishes
- minimizes
- cuts
- nicks
- lessens
- downsizes
- knocks down
- drops
- dwindles
- abates
- compresses
- crops
- contracts
- pares
- downscales
- docks
- trims
- clips
- de-escalates
- shrinks
- prunes
- cuts down
- retrenches
- whittles
- constricts
- abridges
- truncates
- curtails
- shortens
- cuts back
- condenses
- abbreviates
- deflates
- modifies
- moderates
- modulates
- qualifies
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- increases
- swells
- raises
- boosts
- augments
- expands
- enlarges
- amplifies
- adds (to)
- inflates
- extends
- dilates
- escalates
- prolongs
- distends
- blows up
- complements
- elongates
- supplements
- aggrandizes
- lengthens
- enhances
- protracts
- intensifies
- heightens
- redoubles