tamp

1 of 2

verb

ˈtamp 

tamped; tamping; tamps

transitive verb

1

: to drive in or down by a succession of light or medium blows

tamp wet concrete

2

: to put a check on : reduce, lessen

tamp down rumors

tamp

2 of 2

noun

plural tamps

: a tool for tamping : tamper entry 2

Fill the form half full with fresh, undisturbed snow, firmly packing it down using the cutout can bottom as a tamp; tamp around the inside edges as you go.

—James Boone

Examples of tamp in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

On the flip side, becoming pregnant may tamp down symptoms of endometriosis. —Cathy Cassata, Health, 4 Mar. 2025

At the time, Lue emphasized the need for caution and tamped down expectations by likening Leonard’s first several games to a preseason, maybe even a training camp. —Janis Carr, Orange County Register, 27 Feb. 2025

Noun

Its high-end features are hard to beat, like its customizable conical burr grinder and intelligent dosing system to automatically calculate the amount of ground coffee based on your last grind and tamp. —Nashia Baker, Architectural Digest, 26 Feb. 2025

Because of this, Benitez said, geopolitical instability of the Russian invasion in 2022 led to a fairly immediate tamp down in buying, mirroring the wider European economy, according to Benitez, who also founded and runs Madrid gallery La Caja Negra. —Harrison Jacobs, ARTnews.com, 3 Sep. 2019

Word History

Etymology

Verb

probably back-formation from obsolete tampion, tampin plug, from Middle English, from Middle French tapon, tampon, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German zapho tap — more at tap entry 3

First Known Use

Verb

1834, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1920, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for tamp

• amp
• champ
• clamp
• cramp
• damp
• gamp
• lamp
• ramp
• samp
• scamp
• stamp
• tramp

Kids Definition

tamp

verb

ˈtamp

1

: to drive in or down by a series of blows

2

: to put a check on : lessen

tamp down rumors

tamper noun