dimmer

noun

dim·​mer ˈdi-mər How to pronounce dimmer (audio)
1
: a device for regulating the intensity of an electric lighting unit
2
: low beam

Examples of dimmer in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But compared with last year — when Jacob Elordi, Dwayne Johnson, Emma Stone, George Clooney and Julia Roberts helped turn Venice into a red-carpet supernova — the wattage is noticeably dimmer. — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 23 July 2026 For this reason, installing a dimmer on your lighting is one small and affordable change that can make a big impact. — Tessa Cooper, The Spruce, 19 July 2026 And Aldebaran is really a double star; its companion is much smaller and far dimmer, with an overall mass less than half that of the sun and only about one-third as large. — Joe Rao, Space.com, 10 July 2026 That prospect was growing dimmer a few years later when playwrights such as Suzan-Lori Parks and Lynn Nottage came into prominence. — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 29 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for dimmer

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1896, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of dimmer was circa 1896

Phrases Containing dimmer

Rhymes for dimmer

See All Rhymes for dimmer

Browse Nearby Words

dimmedness
dimmer
dimmer switch
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dimmer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dimmer. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

dimmer

noun
dim·​mer ˈdim-ər How to pronounce dimmer (audio)
1
: a device for controlling the amount of light from an electric lighting unit (as the headlights of an automobile or the lights of a room)
2
: low beam

More from Merriam-Webster on dimmer

Nglish: Translation of dimmer for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about dimmer

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