View synonyms for dim.

dim.

abbreviation for

(in prescriptions) one-half.

dim.

abbreviation for

dimension.
diminish.
diminuendo.
diminutive.

dim

[ dim ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

adjective

, dim·mer, dim·mest.

not bright; obscure from lack of light or emitted light:
a dim room; a dim flashlight.
not seen clearly or in detail; indistinct:
a dim object in the distance.
not clear to the mind; vague:
a dim idea.
Synonyms: unclear, hazy, fuzzy, indistinct, indefinite, faint
not brilliant; dull in luster:
a dim color.
not clear or distinct to the senses; faint:
a dim sound.
not seeing clearly:
eyes dim with tears.
tending to be unfavorable; not likely to happen, succeed, be favorable, etc.:
a dim chance of winning.
not understanding clearly.
rather stupid; dim-witted.

verb (used with object)

, dimmed, dim·ming.

to make dim or dimmer.
Synonyms: cloud, darken
to switch (the headlights of a vehicle) from the high to the low beam.

verb (used without object)

, dimmed, dim·ming.

to become or grow dim or dimmer.
Synonyms: fade, dull

verb phrase

(in wartime) to reduce the night illumination of (a city, ship, etc.) to make it less visible from the air or sea, as a protection from enemy aircraft or ships.

dim

/ dɪm /

adjective

badly illuminated
a dim room
not clearly seen; indistinct; faint
a dim shape
having weak or indistinct vision
eyes dim with tears
lacking in understanding; mentally dull
not clear in the mind; obscure
a dim memory
lacking in brilliance, brightness, or lustre
a dim colour
tending to be unfavourable; gloomy or disapproving (esp in the phrase take a dim view )

verb

to become or cause to become dim
tr to cause to seem less bright, as by comparison
tr to switch (car headlights) from the main to the lower beam Also called (in Britain and certain other countries)dip

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Derived Forms

ˈdimness, noun
ˈdimly, adverb

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Other Words From

dimly adverb
dimma·ble adjective
dimness noun
un·dim adjective
un·dimly adverb
un·dimmed adjective

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Word History and Origins

Origin of dim.¹

From the Latin word dīmidius

Origin of dim.²

before 1000; Middle English, Old English dim ( me ), cognate with Old Frisian dim, Old Norse dimmr

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Word History and Origins

Origin of dim.¹

Old English dimm; related to Old Norse dimmr gloomy, dark

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Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

take a dim view of, to regard with disapproval, skepticism, or dismay:
Her mother takes a dim view of her choice of friends.

More idioms and phrases containing dim.

see take a dim view .

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Synonym Study

See dark.

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Example Sentences

Soon we had the entire garden to ourselves — we encountered fewer than a dozen people the entire weekend — and as the light dimmed behind an overcast sky, the three of us perched on a ledge near the trail’s end.

From Washington Post

It’s during this dim period, when the stars still mingle with the moon in the sky but the sun announces that it’s on its way, that I’ve maintained a tenuous hold on the outside world through surfing.

From Outside Online

This is Delaware, home of presidents and seekers of information about Cantonese dim sum to be served during the Super Bowl.

From Washington Post

On a per-36-minutes and per-100-possessions basis, Randle is diming up his teammates more than he ever previously had.

From FiveThirtyEight

When researchers look for far-off planets, they do so by watching stars and noting when planets pass in front of them, measuring the resulting dim in brightness.

From Popular-Science

Justin gazed out from the dim interior as more than 300 police motorcycles from dozens of jurisdictions rumbled past.

From The Daily Beast

The essential fault lies not with the stars around him, however dim, but with himself.

From The Daily Beast

Below, the thick marshland and dim lights created a scene that Breman describes as “Joseph Conrad territory.”

From The Daily Beast

In a dim backroom of a mud hut in Save, 82-year-old Teresa Nyirabutunda sits propped upright in bed by her daughter, Francine.

From The Daily Beast

My concerns about the study do not dim my admiration for the fund itself or the work that it does.

From The Daily Beast

She opened the letter by the flickering firelight, which was stronger on the hearthrug than the light of the dim November day.

From Project Gutenberg

Dr. Ashton walked out of the chapel, and Val stood for a few moments where he was, looking up and down in the dim light.

From Project Gutenberg

Any moment, if he looked up, he would meet eyes—eyes that gazed with dim yet definite recognition into his own across the night.

From Project Gutenberg

The contrast between the open street and the enclosed stuffiness of the dim and crowded interior was overwhelming.

From Project Gutenberg

By the dim light of the campfire they saw what they supposed were the sleeping forms of their enemies.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

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More About Dim

What does dim mean?

Dim describes something as lacking light or having a weak brightness, as in a dim flashlight or a dim tunnel.

Dim also describes things that are unclear, because of poor visibility, a weak understanding, or a more general lack of clarity, as in a dim shape in the distance, a dim noise, or a dim knowledge of math.

Dim also describes having weak or poor vision, as in Jane’s eyes were dim with tears.

Dim can be used to mean lacking mental ability or having low intelligence. However, this is almost always considered insulting.

As a verb, dim means to make something dim or less bright, as in He dimmed the lights. It can also be used to mean to grow dim or dimmer, as in The noise of the engine dimmed as the car drove out of sight.

Example: Although the tunnel was dim, the faint candlelight guided the miner back to the surface.

Where does dim come from?

The first records of dim come from before 1000. It ultimately comes from the Old English dimm, which is related to the Old Norse dimmr, meaning “gloomy” or “dark.”

The word dark is similar to dim but usually means a complete absence of light. A dark room would be one with the lights completely turned off, while a dim room still has a small, faint amount of light.

Dim is used to mean “disapproving” or “unfavorable” in the idiom take a dim view of, as in Her boss took a dim view of her constantly falling asleep at work.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to dim?

dimly (adverb)
dimmable (adjective)
dimmer (noun)
undim (adjective)

What are some synonyms for dim?

What are some words that share a root or word element with dim?

dimwit

What are some words that often get used in discussing dim?

How is dim used in real life?

Dim is commonly used, especially to mean a lack of brightness.

I look good in very dim lighting

— lexis (@alexisdeluna_) September 13, 2020

I had a dim idea that if I walked the streets of New York all night something of the city's mystery and magnificence might rub off on to me.

— Sylvia Plath (@itssylviaplath) May 28, 2015

The Andromeda galaxy is larger than the moon in the sky, but it is usually too dim to see.

— UberFacts (@UberFacts) November 21, 2014

Try using dim!

Which of the following is NOT a synonym of dim?

A. clear
B. shadowy
C. dark
D. blurry

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

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