dampened

Slightly wet now

Dampened is the past tense and past participle of dampen, which means to make slightly wet or moist: She dampened the cloth before wiping the counter.

More commonly, dampened describes reducing the intensity or enthusiasm of something: The bad news dampened our spirits.

In technical contexts, particularly physics and engineering, dampened refers to the reduction of oscillation or vibration in a system: The shock absorbers dampened the car's bounce on rough roads.

suppressed

restrained

Held under control

inhibitedHeld back by self-consciousness
curbedLimited or checked
quelledForcibly ended unrest

stifled · diminished · tempered · moderated · checked · controlled · contained · squelched · thwarted · discouraged

wet

moistened

Made slightly wet

soakedThoroughly wet throughout
drenchedThoroughly wet throughout
saturatedThoroughly soaked through

soggy · waterlogged · sodden · dripping · dewy · clammy · sprinkled · misted · rain-soaked · splashed

muted

softened

Made less severe

quietedMade less loud
muffledMade quieter, less distinct
hushedReduced to silence

subdued · deadened · silenced · attenuated · dulled · lowered · faint · gentle · absorbed · padded

Categories

restrainedrestrained, reserved, subdued, controlled, muted
diminisheddevalued, lessened, decreased, depreciated, reduced
sound qualitiesloudness, pitch, tone, faintness, clarity
positionedplaced, positioned, situated, located, set
turned downdeclined, refused, rejected, nixed, vetoed

Opposites

intensity/enthusiasm

dampenedintensified

Made more extreme

heightened · amplified · excited · undamped · inflamed

moisture

dampeneddried

Stripped of moisture

dry · parched · desiccated · dehydrated · arid

Phrases

noise dampeningLessening acoustic intensity
dampen downReduce or restrain intensity

Family

dampen, dampens, dampening, undampened

Familiarity: Top 50,000
Profile: Known to kids · Used worldwide · Timeless · Concrete · Everyday, not technical · Rated G