noun

dent

dehnt

noun

A shallow dip or indentation in a surface, usually caused by a knock or impact.

"There was a dent in the car door where the shopping trolley had hit it."

"He tried to hammer the dent out of the old saucepan."

A noticeable reduction or negative effect on something, especially money or resources.

"Buying the new laptop put a real dent in her savings."

"The injury put a dent in the team's title hopes."

verb

To strike something so it develops a dent, or to be damaged in this way.

"The hailstones dented the roof of the car."

"His confidence was dented after the harsh review."

How to Use Dent

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA small dip left by an impact, or figuratively any small but noticeable amount of damage.

Common mistake

Don't confuse with "dint," an older word for the same thing still used in the phrase "by dint of."

Common pairings

put a dent in a small dent dent someone's confidence

dented past tense, dents plural, dents plural, Dents plural, dents singular

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There was a _____ in the car door where the shopping trolley had hit it.

From Middle English dent/dint, from Old English dynt, meaning a blow or strike — originally the mark or sound left by hitting something.

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