damper

noun

damp·​er ˈdam-pər 

1

: a dulling or deadening influence

put a damper on the celebration

2

: a device that damps: such as

a

: a valve or plate (as in the flue of a furnace) for regulating the draft

b

: a small felted block to stop the vibration of a piano string

c

chiefly British : shock absorber

3

Australia : a simple usually unleavened bread of a kind made originally in the Australian bush

Synonyms

• mute

Examples of damper in a Sentence

the pianist used the damper pedal on the piano for the quiet passages

Recent Examples on the Web

With high inflation levels and borrowing costs placing a damper on the housing market, costly renovations and big-ticket purchases have largely been placed on hold. —Francisco Velasquez, Quartz, 21 May 2024

After the initial blackout caused by the closed exhaust damper, investigators say a backup generator automatically came on. —Lea Skene, Fortune, 15 May 2024

In the first, a crew member mistakenly closes an exhaust damper, stalling the engine. —Alex Mann, Baltimore Sun, 15 May 2024

About 10 hours before leaving port, the container ship, Dali, experienced a blackout during maintenance when a crew member accidentally closed an inline engine exhaust damper. —Emily Le Coz, USA TODAY, 14 May 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1707, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing damper

• put a damper on

Kids Definition

damper

noun

damp·​er ˈdam-pər 

: one that damps : as

a

: a valve or plate (as in the flue of a furnace) for regulating the draft

b

: a device (as one of the felt-covered pieces of wood in a piano) used to deaden vibrations or oscillations

c

: a dulling or deadening influence

put a damper on the celebration