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 + in

It'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

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Key Background Third-party candidates have almost no shot at winning the election, considering the funding and popularity required to make a dent in the electoral and popular vote. —

Stephen Pastis, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2024 Hood-Schifino, 21, has yet to make a dent in new Los Angeles head coach JJ Redick's rotation this season. —

Marco Rubio, Newsweek, 1 Nov. 2024 In order to make a dent in the climate crisis, whoever becomes president would have to reject that status quo and put serious money behind global promises to mitigate climate change. —

Vox Staff, Vox, 24 Oct. 2024 Zoom in: Raleigh's next mayor will have to lead a council that will revisit reforms made to the city's zoning laws and continue to try to make a dent in the city's growing need for affordable housing. —

Zachery Eanes, Axios, 22 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for make/put a dent

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“Make/put a dent.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/make%2Fput%20a%20dent. Accessed 17 Nov. 2024.

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