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View synonyms for

dent

1

[ dent ]

noun

  1. a hollow or depression in a surface, as from a blow.
  2. a noticeable effect, especially of reduction:

    to leave a dent in one's savings;

    a dent in one's pride.



verb (used with object)

  1. to make a dent in or on; indent:

    The impact dented the car's fender.

  2. to have the effect of reducing or slightly injuring:

    The caustic remark dented his ego.

verb (used without object)

  1. to show dents; become indented:

    Tin dents more easily than steel.

  2. to sink in, making a dent:

    Nails dent into metal.

dent

2

[ dent ]

noun

  1. a toothlike projection, as a tooth of a gearwheel.
  2. Textiles. the space between two wires through which the warp ends are drawn in the reed of a loom.

dent-

3
  1. variant of denti- before a vowel:

    dentin.

dent.

4

abbreviation for

  1. dental.
  2. dentist.
  3. dentistry.

dent.

1

abbreviation for

  1. dental
  2. dentistry
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

dent

2

/ ɛԳ /

noun

  1. a hollow or dip in a surface, as one made by pressure or a blow
  2. an appreciable effect, esp of lessening

    a dent in our resources

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. to impress or be impressed with a dent or dents
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

dent

3

/ ɛԳ /

noun

  1. a toothlike protuberance, esp the tooth of a sprocket or gearwheel
  2. textiles the space between two wires in a loom through which a warp thread is drawn
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Other Word Forms

  • ܲ·ԳĻ adjective
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Word History and Origins

Origin of dent1

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English dint, dent, dunt “blow of a weapon; stroke of a sword”; dint

Origin of dent2

First recorded in 1545–55; from Middle French, from Latin dent- (stem of ŧԲ ) tooth
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Word History and Origins

Origin of dent1

C13 (in the sense: a stroke, blow): variant of dint

Origin of dent2

C16: from French: tooth
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Idioms and Phrases

Idioms
  1. make a dent in, to show initial progress; pass an initial stage of (work, thought, solving a problem, etc.):

    I haven't even made a dent in this pile of work.

  2. make a dent, Informal. to cause a person to take heed; make an impression:

    The doctor told him to stop smoking, but it didn't make a dent.

More idioms and phrases containing dent

see make a dent in .
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

I try to feel as inspired by the dent in my medium-sized Rimowa and the small tear that has opened in the mesh.

From

Ryan Johnson, interim chief executive of the Los Angeles County Affordable Housing Solutions Agency, is tasked with spending those dollars to finally make a dent in the region’s unrelenting homelessness crisis.

From

But violent social conflicts early on his presidency quickly dented his popularity.

From

They already risk a dent to their sales from tariffs, threatening jobs and investment plans.

From

The real question for the chancellor has been the extent to which that has carried through to the end of the forecast period, and so permanently dented the economy and tax revenues.

From

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Related Words

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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density functiondental