# dampen

> English word · Verb · IPA /ˈdæmpən/ · frequency rank #36,512

## Definitions
1. To make damp or moist; to make moderately wet.
2. To become damp or moist.
3. To lessen; to dull; to make less intense (said of emotions and non-physical things).
4. To suppress vibrations (mechanical) or oscillations (electrical) by converting energy to heat (or some other form of energy).
5. To become damped or deadened.

## Etymology
From damp + -en.

## Easily confused with
- **dumped** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dampen-vs-dumped)
- **Darren** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dampen-vs-darren)
- **deepen** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dampen-vs-deepen)
- **damper** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dampen-vs-damper)
- **dapper** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dampen-vs-dapper)
- **damsel** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dampen-vs-damsel)
- **darken** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dampen-vs-darken)
- **Darien** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dampen-vs-darien)
- **damn** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/damn-vs-dampen)
- **dame** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dame-vs-dampen)
- **damp** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/damp-vs-dampen)
- **Damon** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/damon-vs-dampen)
- **dames** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/dames-vs-dampen)
- **damned** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/damned-vs-dampen)
- **Damian** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/damian-vs-dampen)

## Common misspellings (9)
`admpen`, `damepn`, `dammpen`, `dampenn`, `dampne`, `damppen`, `dapmen`, `ddampen`, `dmapen`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/dampen