damper

UK: /ˈdæmpə^r/ US: /ˈdæmpɚ/ ,(dam′pər)

From damp (adj):

damper

adj comparative

dampest

adj superlative

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

damp•er /ˈdæmpɚ/   n. [countable]

1. Mechanical Engineering a movable plate for controlling the amount of air in a stove, furnace, etc.
2. Music and Dance a device in a musical instrument to reduce the volume of sound.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

damp•er  (dam′pər), n. 

1. a person or thing that damps or depresses:
   His glum mood put a damper on their party.
2. Mechanical Engineering a movable plate for regulating the draft in a stove, furnace, etc.
3. Music and Dance
   • a device in stringed keyboard instruments to deaden the vibration of the strings.
   • the mute of a brass instrument, as a horn.
4. Electricity an attachment to keep the indicator of a measuring instrument from oscillating excessively, as a set of vanes in a fluid or a short-circuited winding in a magnetic field.
5. Automotive, Mechanical Engineering [Mach.] a shock absorber.
6. British Terms [Australian.]
   • a round, flat cake made of flour and water, and cooked over a campfire.
   • the dough for such cakes.

• damp + -er¹ 1740–50

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

damper / ˈdæmpə/ noun

1. a person, event, or circumstance that depresses or discourages
2. put a damper on ⇒ to produce a depressing or inhibiting effect on: the bad news put a damper on the party
3. a movable plate to regulate the draught in a stove or furnace flue
4. a device to reduce electronic, mechanical, acoustic, or aerodynamic oscillations in a system
5. the pad in a piano or harpsichord that deadens the vibration of each string as its key is released
6. any of various unleavened loaves and scones, typically cooked on an open fire

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

damp /dæmp/   adj., -er, -est, n., v. 
adj. 

1. slightly wet;
   moist:
   The towels were still damp.

n. [uncountable]

2. moisture;
   humidity;
   moist air:
   the damp of the morning.

v. 

3. [ ~ + obj] to make damp;
   moisten.
4. to reduce, check, or slow down the energy, action, etc., of:
   [~ (+ down ) + object] His loss didn't damp (down) his enjoyment of living.
5. [ ~ (+ down) + obj] to extinguish:
   to damp (down) a furnace.

damp•ly, adv. 
damp•ness, n. [uncountable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

damp  (damp), adj., -er, -est, n., v. 
adj. 

1. slightly wet;
   moist:
   damp weather; a damp towel.
2. unenthusiastic;
   dejected;
   depressed:
   The welcoming committee gave them a rather damp reception.

n. 

3. moisture;
   humidity;
   moist air:
   damp that goes through your warmest clothes.
4. a noxious or stifling vapor or gas, esp. in a mine.
5. depression of spirits;
   dejection.
6. a restraining or discouraging force or factor.

v.t. 

7. to make damp;
   moisten.
8. to check or retard the energy, action, etc., of;
   deaden;
   dampen:
   A series of failures damped her enthusiasm.
9. to stifle or suffocate;
   extinguish:
   to damp a furnace.
10. Music and Dance [Acoustics, Music.] to check or retard the action of (a vibrating string);
    dull;
    deaden.
11. Physics to cause a decrease in amplitude of (successive oscillations or waves).
12. damp off, to undergo damping-off.

• 1300–50; Middle English (in sense of def. 4); compare Middle Dutch damp, Middle High German dampf vapor, smoke

damp′ish, adj. 
damp′ish•ly, adv. 
damp′ish•ness, n. 
damp′ly, adv. 
damp′ness, n. 
Synonyms

• 1. dank, steamy.
  Damp, humid, moist mean slightly wet.
  Damp usually implies slight and extraneous wetness, generally undesirable or unpleasant unless the result of intention:
  a damp cellar; to put a damp cloth on a patient's forehead.
  Humid is applied to unpleasant dampness in the air:
  The air is oppressively humid today.
  Moist denotes something that is slightly wet, naturally or properly:
  moist ground; moist leather.
• 3. dankness, dampness, fog, vapor.
• 7. humidify.
• 8. slow, inhibit, restrain, moderate, abate.

Antonyms

• 1. dry.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

damp / dæmp/ adjective

1. slightly wet, as from dew, steam, etc

noun

1. slight wetness; moisture; humidity
2. rank air or poisonous gas, esp in a mine
   See also firedamp
3. a discouragement; damper

verb (transitive)

1. to make slightly wet
2. (often followed by down) to stifle or deaden: to damp one's ardour
3. (often followed by down) to reduce the flow of air to (a fire) to make it burn more slowly or to extinguish it
4. to reduce the amplitude of (an oscillation or wave)
5. to muffle (the sound of an instrument)

Etymology: 14th Century: from Middle Low German damp steam; related to Old High German demphen to cause to steam

ˈdampness noun