dent 1 of 2

noun

Definition of dentnext
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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

dent

2 of 2

verb

ˈdent How to pronounce dent (audio)
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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of dent
Noun
Both laminate and vinyl floors offer qualities that perform very well to prevent scratches, dents, and water damage, and as a result, both styles are go-to choices for homeowners who want that peace of mind. — Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 31 July 2026 The West Valley may have gotten some light rainfall, but most didn’t make a measurable dent in rain gauges. — Tevian Whitehurst, AZCentral.com, 28 July 2026
Verb
Enbridge proposed the pipeline tunnel nearly a decade ago around the time a ship anchor dented part of the line. — Jeffrey Collins, Chicago Tribune, 1 Aug. 2026 But perhaps the biggest test for Moore will be navigating the management of this year's elections without denting the bipartisan tone that typically defines the NGA. — ABC News, 1 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for dent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dent
  1. hole
  2. decrease
  3. reduce
  4. pit
  5. reduction
  6. cavity
  7. drop
  8. decline
Noun
  • Place them behind the refrigerator and stove, under kitchen and bathroom sinks near pipe entry holes, and in the back corners of pantry shelves.
    — Rae Ford, Martha Stewart, 16 Aug. 2026
  • While the district took a series of cost-cutting steps — including freezing spending on supplies, hiring and most new contracts, as well as laying off employees — successive budget updates showed the financial hole continuing to deepen.
    — Chaewon Chung August 16, Sacbee.com, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of hole
Noun
  • Most towns saw a decrease in Democratic turnout compared to 2018, but towns with competitive Congressional or state Democratic primaries were more likely to see an increase.
    — Angela Eichhorst, Hartford Courant, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Despite police data that shows a sustained decrease in CTA crime, the agency continues to take heat on safety.
    — Talia Soglin, Chicago Tribune, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of decrease
Verb
  • The South in particular faces higher rates of obesity and other health challenges that have further reduced the pool of eligible recruits and contributed to higher injury rates during basic training, according to service data.
    — Steven Beynon, ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026
  • The historic supply shock has also been softened by other factors, including alternative export routes out of the Gulf, China reducing its oil imports, the United States increasing production and drawdowns from global oil stockpiles.
    — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of reduce
Noun
  • As Rhaenyra slowly descends into a pit of despair and desperation, Daemon and his armies run into some snags on their assault of Tumbleton thanks to the various tricks Lord Ormund has up his sleeves.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Ilya Sutskever, a co-founder and former chief scientist of OpenAI, once gathered his colleagues around a fire pit at a company offsite.
    — Foreign Affairs, Foreign Affairs, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of pit
Noun
  • Financial test The reduction highlights the financial challenges behind the AI infrastructure boom.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 15 Aug. 2026
  • It, and three other airline stocks, were sold by Warren Buffett at a loss in the first quarter of 2020 amid a massive reduction in air travel as the COVID-19 pandemic was gaining steam.
    — Alex Crippen, CNBC, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of reduction
Noun
  • The cavity has been carved into the nebula by ultraviolet radiation and stellar winds from massive young stars.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Fluoride Keeps Working After You Brush For cavity protection, fluoride is one of the most important ingredients in toothpaste.
    — MD Published, Verywell Health, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of cavity
Noun
  • Unlike other meat products, the cost of chicken has seen little fluctuation in recent months, so much so that July’s 3-cent drop signaled the single biggest monthly change dating back to November 2024.
    — Claire Malon, Chicago Tribune, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The critic who found a helpful narrative to understand the history, and future, of our images, without a drop of cynicism.
    — Carlos Valladares, ARTnews.com, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of drop
Noun
  • This decline could affect the annual value of his next contract.
    — Bernie Pleskoff, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Overall, patients who took estrogen-only hormone therapy for menopause were less likely to display signs of memory loss or cognitive decline or to be diagnosed with dementia.
    — Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of decline

Browse Nearby Words

density
dent
dented
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dent. Accessed 18 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on dent

Nglish: Translation of dent for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of oxymoron

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Is “GIF” Pronounced “Jiff” or “Giff”?

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of a green cube out of place in a lineup of red spheres
Odd Word Out: Synonyms Vol. 2 Quiz Figure out which word isn't like the others.
See All