How to Use dent in a Sentence

dent

1 of 2 verb
Definition of dentnext
Synonyms for dentnext
  • Many of the cans were badly dented.
  • The team's confidence has been dented by a recent series of losses.
  • Some types of metal dent more easily than others.
  • I'm afraid I dented the wall pretty badly when I was hammering in that nail.
  • Holiday made a layup to start the fourth, but the Bucks couldn't dent the lead any further.
    — Ben Steele, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 15 May 2022
  • But even the strongest shield gets dented from time to time.
    — Fox News, 26 Nov. 2023
  • Neither team could dent the scoreboard in the first and third quarters.
    — Ledeai, The Arizona Republic, 19 Aug. 2023
  • All those tech layoffs didn’t do much to dent the job market.
    — Justin Lahart, WSJ, 30 Mar. 2023
  • The rind should be so tough that your fingernail cannot dent it.
    — Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Aug. 2023
  • Poway entered the game with a 14-2 road record, but failed to dent the Wolverines’ defense.
    — Terry Monahan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Feb. 2023
  • Their absences didn't dent a unit that ranked among the country's best all fall.
    — Ryan Black, The Courier-Journal, 31 Dec. 2022
  • Rookie MarJon Beauchamp got the start but was 0 for 3 and didn’t dent the scoreboard.
    — Jim Owczarski, Journal Sentinel, 12 Jan. 2023
  • Neither team could dent the scoreboard in the third quarter.
    — Ledeai, Journal Sentinel, 19 Aug. 2023
  • None of this has dented Amazon’s share price, of course.
    — Bydavid Meyer, Fortune, 1 June 2023
  • But even the three more special payouts may not dent the cash mountain.
    — Brett Owens, Forbes, 9 June 2022
  • The sophomore led all scorers with 18 points and was one of just four Wolves players to dent the scoreboard.
    — Chris Bieri, Anchorage Daily News, 25 Mar. 2022
  • Neither team could dent the scoreboard in the second and fourth quarters.
    — Ledeai, Journal Sentinel, 19 Aug. 2023
  • The same care should be taken not to dent the guards during gutter cleaning, too.
    — Kat De Naoum, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Aug. 2023
  • The rain deficit has been reduced, longer term drought has been dented, and the last frosts and freezes appear to be behind us for the spring.
    — A. Camden Walker, Washington Post, 6 May 2023
  • Be careful when wearing high heels, which can dent your floors.
    — Washington Post, 3 Sep. 2021
  • Neither team could dent the scoreboard in the second quarter.
    — Ledeai, The Courier-Journal, 19 Aug. 2023
  • What to Consider The wheels scuffed and dented with rough handling.
    — Anna Popp, Travel + Leisure, 22 Sep. 2023
  • What to Consider The handle can get stuck if the bag is dented a certain way.
    — Anna Popp, Travel + Leisure, 22 Sep. 2023
  • Lakota West didn't dent the scoreboard until the third quarter.
    — Scott Springer, The Enquirer, 20 Aug. 2022
  • The criticism has done little to dent the show’s success overseas though.
    — Patrick Brzeski, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 Mar. 2022
  • And that’s exactly what any rising rock-band will need to dent the mainstream ever again.
    — Matt Wake | [email protected], al, 20 June 2022
  • The steps will dent the retailer's profit estimates for the year, the company said.
    — Nathaniel Meyersohn, CNN, 7 June 2022
  • Neither team was able to get anything going in the first period, but the Wolverines had some chances to dent the scoreboard.
    — Chris Bieri, Anchorage Daily News, 25 May 2022
  • Regarding the dual strikes, the impacts of which continue to loom large over the industry, Yutani said the work stoppages didn’t dent the submissions.
    — Chris Gardner, The Hollywood Reporter, 18 Jan. 2024
  • Footage from local news outlets showed cars and metal fencing dented after the incident.
    — Daniel Wu, Washington Post, 7 Mar. 2024
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dent

2 of 2 noun
  • Take a spoon and make a slight dent down the middle to hold jam.
    — Rita Nader Heikenfeld, The Enquirer, 8 Sep. 2023
  • The debut of live sports on The CW didn’t make much of a dent with viewers.
    — Rick Porter, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 Feb. 2023
  • His knees barely made a dent by the time the ball released.
    — Nate Atkins, The Indianapolis Star, 6 Mar. 2023
  • One or two might make a dent in the numbers at the first debate this week.
    — Trip Gabriel, New York Times, 22 Aug. 2023
  • Case in point: The minivan has two new dents in it now, both in the front, both smeared with white paint.
    — Heather Havrilesky, New York Times, 18 Nov. 2023
  • The loss of a major track and field event could put a dent in the Reggie’s revenue.
    — Tiana Woodard, BostonGlobe.com, 17 Feb. 2023
  • Bed frames made of wood tend to be sturdier but may be prone to dents or scuffs.
    — Erica Reagle, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Feb. 2024
  • The Lakers had pulled to within 12 points and were making a dent in their deficit.
    — Broderick Turner, Los Angeles Times, 7 Mar. 2024
  • The cost for even a single ticket will put a hefty dent in your wallet.
    — oregonlive, 2 June 2023
  • But curb shoppers don’t make a dent in what’s left behind.
    — Sonja Stott, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2023
  • This carry-on held up well to our bat swings, with no scratches or dents in sight.
    — Theresa Holland, Travel + Leisure, 17 May 2023
  • My first solution was get a thin piece of brass and make a dent in it with a center punch.
    — IEEE Spectrum, 27 Aug. 2023
  • One way of making a dent in the demand for new plastic beads is to reuse old ones.
    — Kevin McGill, Quartz, 11 Feb. 2024
  • Even a series of Ukrainian drone strikes on the city in recent months barely made a dent.
    — Francesca Ebel, Washington Post, 19 Dec. 2023
  • Those eight years in Israel didn’t seem to make a dent in his insatiable need for the spotlight.
    — Brian Davids, The Hollywood Reporter, 29 May 2023
  • Does your company have the ad budget to make a dent in the digital space this year?
    — Yec, Forbes, 14 Feb. 2023
  • The Cardinals played the game much tighter in the second quarter but couldn’t make a dent in the West Linn lead, which widened to 45-33 at halftime.
    — Scott Sepich, oregonlive, 10 Mar. 2023
  • And the donations barely would make a dent in the Polish army’s tank holdings.
    — David Axe, Forbes, 22 Jan. 2023
  • But now the hefty fine at the heart of Binance's plea deal has put another big dent in the platform's finances.
    — Ashley Belanger, Ars Technica, 21 Nov. 2023
  • Now is the time to take stock of the seasonal dent in our bank accounts and tidy up the economic impact.
    — Ebony Flake, Essence, 17 Jan. 2024
  • The second half was even, but the Sea Lions (18-13) couldn’t make a dent in the advantage the Cougars had taken midway through the first half.
    — U-T Staff, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Mar. 2024
  • Rising prices may have not put a dent in consumer spending, though.
    — Paul R. La Monica, CNN, 14 Feb. 2023
  • The pastor doubted that approach on its own would make a dent in the country’s daily death toll.
    — Danielle Paquette, Washington Post, 16 Feb. 2024
  • The recent extreme wet period put a sizable dent in the state’s drought.
    — Diana Leonard, Anchorage Daily News, 8 Feb. 2023
  • Maybe make a dent in our list of 50 classic books everyone should read in their lifetime.
    — Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 26 July 2023
  • Oshiro & Long upset Todd & Johnson from the top half, putting a dent on Todd’s triple crown chances.
    — Todd Boss, Forbes, 14 Feb. 2023
  • It’s been live in those states for several years, but hasn’t made much of a dent, picking up less than 1% of market share in Iowa.
    — Ian Firstenberg, Chicago Tribune, 11 Apr. 2023
  • There was no damage when our testers dropped the empty can, though there were a couple of dents when it was dropped while full on concrete.
    — Barbara Bellesi Zito, Peoplemag, 17 Oct. 2023
  • On top of that, higher-dollar cars barely made a dent in sales and production.
    — Andy Kalmowitz / Jalopnik, Quartz, 11 Apr. 2024
  • With a new regime in place, and 13 spots to fill after the draft, the undrafted group could have a solid chance to make a dent in the initial regular-season roster this year, as well.
    — Mike Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 28 Apr. 2024

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dent.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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