verb · neutral
dampen
/ˈdæmpən/DAMP·en
to make something less strong or intense; to reduce enthusiasm or the effect of something
Examples
“Rain did not dampen the crowd's enthusiasm for the festival.”
“The new rules could dampen innovation by making start‑ups less willing to take risks.”
“Noise-dampening panels reduced echoes in the lecture hall.”
Band 8 sentence
“Excessive regulation risks dampening entrepreneurial activity, with long-term consequences for economic growth.”
Collocations
- dampen enthusiasm/morale
- dampen the effect/impact
Word family
Common mistakes
This law will dampen innovation to start-ups.→This law will dampen innovation among start-ups.
The news dampened the team's enthusiasms.→The news dampened the team's enthusiasm.
Say it for a higher band
5lower→6reduce→7+dampen
Synonyms
reduce
Easily confused
reduce
“The new policy reduced carbon emissions by 10% last year.”
Related words
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In -en
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