Word · CEFR C2 · Frequency #11247
dampen
弄湿，使潮湿
make slightly wet
- 1.
To make damp or moist; to make moderately wet.
使潮湿或湿润；使中等湿。
- 2.
To become damp or moist.
变得潮湿或湿润。
- 3.
To lessen; to dull; to make less intense (said of emotions and non-physical things).
减少；削弱；使不那么强烈(指情感和非物质事物)
- 4.
To become damped or deadened.
变得潮湿或减弱
减弱，抑制；使沮丧，给…泼冷水；使潮湿或湿润；使中等湿。；变得潮湿或湿润。；减少；削弱；使不那么强烈(指情感和非物质事物)
In use
The heavy rain dampened the picnic blankets, so we had to sit on the dry grass instead.
The company's disappointing earnings report dampened investors' enthusiasm for the stock.
Her constant criticism dampened his desire to try new things.
dampen sth
及物用法，表示弄湿某物。
The rain dampened the soil.
雨水弄湿了土壤。
dampen sb's spirits/enthusiasm
比喻义，表示使某人沮丧或扫兴。
The bad news dampened his spirits.
坏消息使他情绪低落。
dampen down sth
短语动词，意为减弱或抑制（火、声音等）。
Connections
Collocations
- dampen enthusiasm
- 抑制热情，给热情泼冷水
- The delay dampened the team's enthusiasm for the new project.这一推迟削弱了团队对新项目的热情。
- dampen spirits
- 打击士气，使情绪低落
- The cold, wet weather didn't dampen the festival-goers' spirits.寒冷潮湿的天气并没有使参加节日活动的人们情绪低落。
- dampen demand
- 抑制需求
- High interest rates dampened demand for new housing.高利率抑制了人们对新住房的需求。
- dampen the impact
- 减轻影响，削弱冲击
- The new policy aims to dampen the impact of rising energy costs on households.这项新政策旨在减轻能源成本上涨对家庭的影响。
- dampen a cloth
- 把布弄湿
- Dampen a cloth with warm water and gently wipe the surface.用温水把布弄湿，然后轻轻擦拭表面。
Learner notes
Memory Tip
把 damp（潮湿）加上 -en 变成动词，想象用湿布轻拍东西使它变湿；也可联想给热情“泼冷水”，使其减弱。
Context & Register
语域：neutral 常见场景：news and meeting discussions、written reports and commentary 本词条重点讨论“减弱、抑制”这一用法。该义项通常用于谈论情绪、兴趣或影响等抽象事物，多出现在新闻报道、会议或书面评论中，语域总体为中性。日常口语中也会用到，但语气并不随便。
Pronunciation & Spelling
No word in this list rhymes exactly with dampen (/ˈdæmpən/). Happen (/ˈhæpən/) is the closest spelling and sound pair but lacks the /m/ before /p/. The others all end in -en but differ: sharpen has /ɑːr/, deepen has /iː/, widen has /aɪ/, listen and moisten have a silent t and different vowels.
Usage priority
Collins 词频等级为 1，建议结合例句记忆，而不是只背中文释义。
Learn the forms together
页面下方列出了常见词形变化。学习时注意它们在句子中的语法位置。
Dictionary facts from ECDICT, OCTANOVE, WIKTIONARY.