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Meaning & use

damper or dampener

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UK/ˈdæmpə ɔː ˈdæmpənə/
US/ˈdæmpər ɔːr ˈdæmpənər/

Meaning

  1. phrasefixed phrase

    A pair of similar words people ask about: 'damper' for spoiling a mood, and 'dampener' for making something weaker.

    Grammar: Used when discussing which word to choose; the two words are not interchangeable in the common idiom.

    Patterns

    • put a damper on something
    • a dampener on something

    In the phrase 'put a damper on the party', the correct word is 'damper', not 'dampener'.

    A 'dampener' reduces force or feeling, as in a shock dampener on a machine.

    Many learners write 'put a dampener on it', but most editors prefer 'damper' in that idiom.

Common combinations

put a damper on something
The rain really put a damper on our picnic.
a damper on the mood
His gloomy remarks were a damper on the mood.
a shock dampener
The machine has a rubber shock dampener to reduce vibration.
a dampener on prices
The new tax acted as a dampener on prices.

Synonyms and how they differ

damper
The better choice for spoiling an occasion or mood, especially in the fixed phrase 'put a damper on'.
dampener
Better for physical or technical things that reduce strength, such as a shock dampener.

Word family

damp verb
To make something slightly wet, or to reduce a feeling or sound.
dampen verb
To make something wet, or to make a feeling weaker.

Commonly confused: damper or dampener or dampener?

damper or dampener vs dampener

'Damper' spoils a mood or event; 'dampener' makes something physically or emotionally less strong. They overlap in some sentences, but the idiom keeps 'damper'.

Practice

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