dampen
gb/dˈæmpən/ us/dˈæmpən/
B2
English
megnedvesít, benedvesít, mérsékel, lelomboz, visszafog, tompít, csillapít, alábbhagy
VERB
B2
1
megnedvesít
B1
benedvesít
B2
Usage pattern:
dampen [something] (with [liquid])
Dampen a clean cloth and wipe the screen gently.
Nedvesíts meg egy tiszta kendőt, és óvatosan töröld át a képernyőt.
She dampened the pastry edges so they would stick together.
Enyhén megnedvesítette a tészta széleit, hogy összetapadjanak.
Lightly dampen the soil before planting the seeds.
Learner examples
Please dampen the cloth with water.
Kérlek, nedvesítsd meg a ruhát vízzel.
I dampened the paper a little.
Egy kicsit megnedvesítettem a papírt.
Common mistake:
Don’t confuse with damp (adjective) meaning ‘slightly wet’.
Meaning
make slightly wet
Collocations
dampen a cloth
|dampen a sponge
|dampen the surface
|dampen the paper
|dampen a towel
|lightly dampen
|dampen with water
|dampen with a spray bottle
Synonyms
moisten (Often suggests adding a small amount of water.)
|
wet (More general; can imply more water than dampen.)
|
sprinkle (Focuses on how liquid is applied (in drops).)
Antonyms
dry (Remove moisture or make not wet.)
Themes
daily_life
|household
Definition
To make something a little wet.
To make something slightly wet or moist.
VERB
B2
2
Usage pattern:
dampen [something]
The sudden delay dampened everyone’s enthusiasm.
A hirtelen késés lelombozta mindenki lelkesedését.
High interest rates can dampen consumer spending.
A magas kamatok visszafoghatják a fogyasztói költekezést.
His criticism dampened her confidence before the interview.
Learner examples
The bad news dampened my mood.
A rossz hír lelombozta a hangulatomat.
Rain can dampen our plans.
Az eső ronthat a terveinken.
Common mistake:
Dampen usually means ‘reduce’ (make weaker), not ‘make worse’ in every sense.
Meaning
make less strong or intense
Collocations
dampen enthusiasm
|dampen spirits
|dampen excitement
|dampen confidence
|dampen hopes
|dampen the impact
|dampen demand
|dampen growth
|dampen tensions
|dampen interest
Synonyms
diminish (More formal; emphasizes becoming smaller or weaker.)
|
quell (Suggests forcefully stopping a feeling or reaction.)
|
cool (Informal; often used for enthusiasm or anger.)
Antonyms
heighten (Make stronger or more intense.)
|
intensify (Increase strength or force.)
|
boost (Increase or improve, often deliberately.)
Themes
emotions
|communication
|work
Definition
To make something less strong or less exciting.
To make a feeling, reaction, effect, or activity less strong, intense, or lively.
VERB
C1
3
Usage pattern:
dampen [sound/noise/echo]
Thick curtains help dampen street noise at night.
A vastag függönyök segítenek tompítani az utcai zajt éjszaka.
Acoustic panels were installed to dampen the echo in the hall.
Akusztikai paneleket szereltek fel, hogy csillapítsák a visszhangot a teremben.
Carpet can dampen footsteps in an upstairs room.
Learner examples
These curtains dampen the noise.
Ezek a függönyök tompítják a zajt.
Carpet helps dampen sound.
A szőnyeg segít tompítani a hangokat.
Common mistake:
Dampen here means ‘reduce sound’, not ‘make wet’. Context usually makes it clear.
Meaning
reduce sound or echo
Collocations
dampen sound
|dampen noise
|dampen the echo
|dampen vibrations
|sound-dampening materials
|dampen the acoustics
|dampen street noise
Synonyms
muffle (Suggests making sound harder to hear or less clear.)
|
deadening (Often used for removing resonance in a room.)
|
soften (More general; can apply to sound or impact.)
Antonyms
amplify (Make a sound louder.)
|
enhance (Improve or increase a sound’s effect/quality.)
Themes
home
|music
|science
Definition
To make a sound quieter or less echoing.
To reduce the volume, resonance, or echo of a sound.
VERB
C1
TECHNICAL
4
csillapít
C1
Usage pattern:
dampen [vibration/oscillation]
The suspension is designed to dampen vibrations from the road.
A felfüggesztést úgy tervezték, hogy csillapítsa az útról érkező rezgéseket.
Engine mounts help dampen oscillations at high speed.
A motortartó bakok segítenek csillapítani a lengéseket nagy sebességnél.
Adding mass can dampen the system’s response to shocks.
Learner examples
The part dampens vibration.
Ez az alkatrész csillapítja a rezgést.
This material dampens oscillations.
Ez az anyag csillapítja a lengéseket.
Common mistake:
In technical contexts, dampen is about vibrations/oscillation; damping is the noun.
Meaning
reduce vibration in a system
Collocations
dampen oscillations
|dampen vibration
|dampen resonance
|dampen a signal
|dampen a response
|dampen a shock
|dampen movement
|dampen the system
Synonyms
attenuate (More technical; often used for signals and intensity.)
|
reduce (General term; less specific than dampen in physics.)
Antonyms
excite (Cause a system to vibrate more strongly (technical use).)
|
amplify (Increase the magnitude of a signal or response.)
Themes
engineering
|science
Definition
To make vibrations smaller or stop them faster.
To reduce the amplitude of vibrations or oscillations in a mechanical or physical system.
VERB
C1
5
alábbhagy
B2
Usage pattern:
[feeling/excitement] dampens
As the waiting dragged on, their excitement dampened.
Ahogy egyre tovább tartott a várakozás, az izgatottságuk alábbhagyott.
Her anger dampened after he apologized.
Miután bocsánatot kért, a haragja alábbhagyott.
Public interest dampened once the story left the headlines.
Learner examples
My excitement dampened after the delay.
A késés után alábbhagyott az izgatottságom.
Common mistake:
Learners often use only the transitive form; dampen can also be intransitive in formal writing.
Meaning
become less intense
Collocations
enthusiasm dampened
|excitement dampened
|spirits dampened
|interest dampened
|momentum dampened
Synonyms
fade (Emphasizes gradually becoming weaker or less clear.)
|
subside (Often used for feelings, pain, or storms calming down.)
Antonyms
build (Increase gradually in strength or intensity.)
|
grow (Become stronger over time.)
Themes
emotions
|daily_life
Definition
To become weaker or less exciting.
To become less strong, lively, or enthusiastic.
Grammar
Dictionary form
dampen
IPA
GB/dˈæmpən/
US/dˈæmpən/
Syllables & stress
dampen (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (dampen)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: dampen
- 3rd Person Singular: dampens
- Present Participle: dampening
- Past: dampened
Word family
Expressions
dampen down
1/dˈæmpən dˈaʊn/
phrasal verb
make less intense
To make something less strong.
Examples
- The coach tried to dampen down the hype before the final.
- She dampened down her reaction so she wouldn’t cause a scene.
- Officials moved quickly to dampen down fears about the shortage.
Learner examples
- Try to dampen down your anger.
dampen someone's spirits
1/dˈæmpən sˈʌmwˌʌnz spˈɪɹɪts/
fixed phrase
make someone less cheerful
To make someone feel sadder or less excited.
Examples
- The loss dampened the team’s spirits, but they kept training.
- Don’t let one bad comment dampen your spirits.
- The gloomy forecast dampened everyone’s spirits at the picnic.
Learner examples
- Bad news can dampen my spirits.
dampen the blow
1/dˈæmpən ðə blˈoʊ/
fixed phrase
reduce bad impact
To make bad news hurt less.
Examples
- A severance package helped dampen the blow of losing his job.
- She tried to dampen the blow by sharing the news gently.
- The discount dampened the blow of the price increase.
Learner examples
- He tried to dampen the blow with kind words.
dampen the mood
1/dˈæmpən ðə mˈud/
fixed phrase
make atmosphere less cheerful
To make the mood less happy.
Examples
- I don’t want to dampen the mood, but we need to talk about money.
- The argument quickly dampened the mood at dinner.
- A power cut dampened the mood during the party.
Learner examples
- His joke dampened the mood.