make/put a dent
idiom
: to decrease something slightly or to make something somewhat weaker
We tried our best to fix the problem, but nothing we did seems to have made a dent.
—often + inIt's going to take more than a new law to make a dent in the city's drug crime.
a vacation that won't put too big a dent in your wallet
Examples of make/put a dent in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
For five years the Homeless Housing Assistance and Prevention program (HHAP) has funneled about $4 million to counties, cities and continuum of care organizations in the state to make a dent into its burgeoning homeless population.
—
Vik Jolly, Sacramento Bee, 24 May 2024
Trump’s campaign thinks the former president can make a dent in Biden's support among Black and Hispanic voters, especially younger males who may be frustrated with economic conditions – especially inflation – and who are attracted to Trump's bravado.
—Fox News Staff, Fox News, 23 May 2024
This kind of thing did not, and cannot, make a dent in Trump.
—Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 13 May 2024
Immigration policy analysts say the rule would hardly put a dent on the number of migrants crossing illegally, or the underlying factors for mass migration.
—Sergio Martínez-Beltrán, NPR, 10 May 2024
But the chaos put a dent in their plans for training and recovery ahead of Wednesday’s game.
—Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 5 May 2024
More affordable models driven partly by falling battery prices could encourage more drivers to make a switch and could even help make a dent in the Biden Administration’s goal of having 50 percent of all new vehicle sales be electric by 2030.
—Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 1 May 2024
There is, however, a widespread and underused class of real estate that holds the potential to make a dent in this figure.
—Irina Ivanova, Fortune, 13 Apr. 2024
With mentorship from the N.W.A star, Yo-Yo delivered a trio of albums that received critical acclaim but failed to make a dent on the Billboard 200.
—Liz Sanchez, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2024
Vik Jolly, Sacramento Bee, 24 May 2024
Trump’s campaign thinks the former president can make a dent in Biden's support among Black and Hispanic voters, especially younger males who may be frustrated with economic conditions – especially inflation – and who are attracted to Trump's bravado.
—Fox News Staff, Fox News, 23 May 2024
This kind of thing did not, and cannot, make a dent in Trump.
—Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 13 May 2024
Immigration policy analysts say the rule would hardly put a dent on the number of migrants crossing illegally, or the underlying factors for mass migration.
—Sergio Martínez-Beltrán, NPR, 10 May 2024
But the chaos put a dent in their plans for training and recovery ahead of Wednesday’s game.
—Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 5 May 2024
More affordable models driven partly by falling battery prices could encourage more drivers to make a switch and could even help make a dent in the Biden Administration’s goal of having 50 percent of all new vehicle sales be electric by 2030.
—Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 1 May 2024
There is, however, a widespread and underused class of real estate that holds the potential to make a dent in this figure.
—Irina Ivanova, Fortune, 13 Apr. 2024
With mentorship from the N.W.A star, Yo-Yo delivered a trio of albums that received critical acclaim but failed to make a dent on the Billboard 200.
—Liz Sanchez, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'make/put a dent.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near make/put a dent
Cite this Entry
“Make/put a dent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/make%2Fput%20a%20dent. Accessed 3 Jun. 2024.
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