damped
/dæmpt/
VERB
1. Made slightly wet or moist
Made moderately wet by adding water or another liquid, without necessarily becoming completely saturated.
1.1. Moistening surfaces and materials
Describes the action of making a surface, cloth, soil, or other material slightly wet by applying moisture.
Synonyms
Antonyms
- dehydrated
- desiccated
- dried
Examples
- She damped the cloth before wiping the dusty surface.
- The gardener damped the soil before planting the seeds.
Related Words
1.2. Soaking or saturating with liquid
Describes making something thoroughly wet or immersing it in liquid, particularly when the action involves applying water or another fluid.
Synonyms
Antonyms
- dehydrated
- desiccated
- dried
Examples
- The fabric was damped with water before being pressed.
- The gardener damped the ground around the plants during the dry season.
Related Words
- dampening
- immersion
- irrigation
- moistening
- saturation
- soaking
- steeping
- submersion
- waterlogging
VERB
2. Reduced, weakened, or restrained
Made less intense, forceful, active, or noticeable; restrained or diminished in strength, effect, or degree.
2.1. Reducing intensity or strength
Describes the action of decreasing the force, intensity, severity, or effectiveness of something.
Synonyms
- abated
- alleviated
- blunted
- decreased
- diminished
- eased
- lessened
- lightened
- lowered
- moderated
- reduced
- subsided
- waned
- weakened
Antonyms
- amplified
- augmented
- boosted
- deepened
- enhanced
- heightened
- intensified
- magnified
- strengthened
Examples
- The medication damped the intensity of the patient's symptoms.
- The new regulations damped the fluctuations in the market.
Related Words
2.2. Suppressing enthusiasm or emotional energy
Describes the action of reducing someone's excitement, enthusiasm, confidence, courage, or positive emotional response.
Synonyms
- daunted
- demoralized
- discouraged
- disheartened
- dispirited
- enervated
- enfeebled
- exhausted
- fatigued
- sapped
- subdued
- undermined
- weakened
Antonyms
- animated
- aroused
- buoyed
- cheered
- emboldened
- energized
- enlivened
- excited
- heartened
- inspired
- invigorated
- reanimated
- revitalized
- strengthened
Examples
- His enthusiasm was damped by the unexpected news of the event's cancellation.
- Despite the setback, she refused to let her spirits be damped.
Related Words
2.3. Suppressing vibrations and oscillations
Describes reducing or controlling mechanical vibrations or electrical oscillations by dissipating energy, limiting movement, or preventing excessive resonance.
Synonyms
Antonyms
- amplified
- augmented
- heightened
- intensified
- magnified
- strengthened
Examples
- The engineer damped the vibrations in the machinery by installing shock absorbers.
- The pianist damped the resonance of the notes to produce a softer melody.
Related Words
- damping
- damping ratio
- oscillation
- resonance
- vibration
- vibration control
- energy dissipation
- mechanical damping
- electrical oscillation
- shock absorption
2.4. Extinguishing or suppressing fire
Describes putting out a fire or preventing it from continuing to burn by applying water or another extinguishing method.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Examples
- The firefighters damped the remaining flames to prevent the fire from reigniting.
- He damped the campfire with water before leaving the campsite.
Related Words
ADJECTIVE
3. Extinguished or prevented from reigniting
Describing a fire that has been put out and prevented from smoldering or reigniting through the application of water.
3.1. Extinguished fires
Describes a fire that has been thoroughly extinguished, with remaining embers or smoldering material made inactive so that the fire does not restart.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Examples
- The damped fire was inspected to ensure that no embers remained capable of reigniting.
- The firefighters checked the damped remains of the fire before leaving the area.
Related Words
ADJECTIVE
4. Having a nonzero damping ratio
Describing a linear dynamic system that possesses a nonzero damping ratio, meaning that its oscillations are affected by energy dissipation.
4.1. Mechanical and dynamic systems
Used in engineering and physics to describe a dynamic system in which oscillatory motion is reduced or controlled by damping forces or energy dissipation.
Synonyms
Antonyms
- undamped
Examples
- The damped system gradually lost energy as its oscillations decreased.
- Engineers analyzed the response of the damped system under different operating conditions.
Related Words
- damping
- damping coefficient
- damping ratio
- dynamic system
- energy dissipation
- linear system
- oscillation
- resonance
- vibration