dent

1 of 5

verb

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 5

noun (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 5

noun (2)

dent

4 of 5

abbreviation

dent-

5 of 5

combining form

variants or denti- or dento-
: tooth : teeth
dentiform

Examples of dent in a Sentence

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. Noun (1) there was a big dent in the car's hood where something had hit it a little belt-tightening would at least make a small dent in our credit-card debt
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Most shoes have a firm outer, which takes up more space in your suitcase and can easily be dented if not packed correctly. Rebecca Shinners, Travel + Leisure, 21 Oct. 2024 The data here will likely do nothing to dent the prospects of Brazil’s central bank tightening policy again on Nov. 6, while at the same time giving Banxico pause about a third straight cut at its Nov. 14 gathering. Jason Ma, Fortune, 19 Oct. 2024
Noun
Zoom in: Raleigh's next mayor will have to lead a council that will revisit reforms made to the city's zoning laws and continue to try to make a dent in the city's growing need for affordable housing. Zachery Eanes, Axios, 22 Oct. 2024 The rental car had a small dent in one of the doors. Christopher Elliott, King Features Syndicate, The Mercury News, 14 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for dent 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dent.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of dent was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near dent

Cite this Entry

“Dent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dent. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

dent

1 of 2 verb
1
: to make a dent in or on
2
: to become marked by a dent

dent

2 of 2 noun
1
: a notch or hollow made by a blow or by pressure
2
a
: an impression or effect made usually against resistance
that purchase made a big dent in our savings
b
: noticeable progress
made a dent in our pile of work

Medical Definition

dent

abbreviation

Biographical Definition

Dent

biographical name

Joseph Mal*a*by ˈma-lə-bē How to pronounce Dent (audio) 1849–1926 English publisher

More from Merriam-Webster on dent

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