dent

1
[ dent ]
See synonyms for dent on Thesaurus.com
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.

Idioms about dent

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

Origin of dent

1
First recorded in1250–1300; Middle English dint, dent, dunt “blow of a weapon; stroke of a sword”; see origin at dint

Other words from dent

  • un·dent·ed, adjective

Words Nearby dent

Other definitions for dent (2 of 4)

dent2
[ 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.

Origin of dent

2
First recorded in 1545–55; from Middle French, from Latin dent- (stem of dēns ) tooth

Other definitions for dent- (3 of 4)

dent-

  1. variant of denti- before a vowel: dentin.

Other definitions for dent. (4 of 4)

dent.

abbreviation
  1. dental.

  2. dentist.

  1. dentistry.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use dent in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for dent (1 of 3)

dent1

/ (dɛnt) /


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

verb
  1. to impress or be impressed with a dent or dents

Origin of dent

1
C13 (in the sense: a stroke, blow): variant of dint

British Dictionary definitions for dent (2 of 3)

dent2

/ (dɛnt) /


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

Origin of dent

2
C16: from French: tooth

British Dictionary definitions for dent. (3 of 3)

dent.

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

Other Idioms and Phrases with dent

dent

see make a dent in.

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