adj

damp

DAMP

adj

Slightly wet; not dry but not soaking either.

"Wipe the counter with a damp cloth."

"The basement walls always feel damp in winter."

noun

Moisture in the air or on a surface; humidity.

"You could smell the damp as soon as you opened the cellar door."

verb

To make something slightly wet, or to weaken and reduce something such as a fire, sound, or feeling.

"They damped down the campfire before going to sleep."

"His sarcastic remark damped the mood in the room."

How to Use Damp

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishSomewhere between wet and dry, or (as a verb) to make something wetter or to muffle/reduce it.

Common mistake

Don't confuse the verb "damp" with "dampen" — both exist, but "dampen" is far more common in everyday speech for lessening a feeling ("dampen my spirits"), while "damp" as a verb is more technical (damping vibrations, damping a fire).

Easily confused with

dampen →

Common pairings

damp cloth damp weather damp basement

Word Forms

damper comparative, damped past tense, damps plural, damps singular, dampest superlative

Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.

Test yourself on “damp” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

Wipe the counter with a _____ cloth.

Etymology

From Middle English dampen ("to suffocate, stifle"), related to German Dampf ("steam, vapor") — the sense of moisture came later.

Synonyms

View more →

thoan thone melancholy sorrowful

Related Words

melancholy wet glad sad blissful sadness sorrowful

Rhymes for damp

amp camp vamp lamp ramp kamp tramp stamp champ swamp cramp clamp

See all rhymes for damp →

People Also Searched

thoan thone melancholy sorrowful wet glad sad blissful sadness