English · Word Candidate

damp

/ˈdæmp/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: dampest · damps · damping

Sense 1

Meaning · English

In a state between dry and wet; moderately wet; moist.

Adjective

Examples

25 January 2017, Leena Camadoo writing in The Guardian, Dominican banana producers at sharp end of climate change Once the farms have been drained and the dead plants have been cut down and cleared, farmers then have to be alert for signs of black sigatoka, a devastating fungus which flourishes in d

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

Despondent; dispirited, downcast.

Adjective

Examples

27 July 2016, Jane O’Faherty in The Irish Independent, Monarchs and prison officers win big on second race day Though Travis's 'Why does it always Rain on Me' boomed around the stands, there were few damp spirits in Galway on day two of the races.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 3

Meaning · English

Moisture; humidity; dampness.

Noun

Examples

Ere twice in murk and occidental damp / Moist Hesperus hath quench’d his sleepy lamp,

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 4

Meaning · English

To suppress vibrations (mechanical) or oscillations (electrical) by converting energy to heat (or some other form of energy).

Verb

Examples

Hydraulic shock absorbers are used to damp out vertical and lateral oscillations.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “damp” mean?

In a state between dry and wet; moderately wet; moist.

Is “damp” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.