1
: a dulling or deadening influence
put a damper on the celebration
2
: a device that damps: such as
a
: a valve or plate (as in the flue of a furnace) for regulating the draft
b
: a small felted block to stop the vibration of a piano string
c
chiefly British
: shock absorber
3
Australia
: a simple usually unleavened bread of a kind made originally in the Australian bush
Examples of damper in a Sentence
the pianist used the damper pedal on the piano for the quiet passages
Recent Examples on the Web
The catastrophic Southern California wildfires, combined with winter storms and the presidential inauguration, have put an understandable damper on the latest leg of awards season, with most of this year’s Oscar contenders stepping back from the usual campaigning in recent weeks.
—
Patrick Ryan, USA TODAY, 23 Jan. 2025
Make sure your fireplace damper is closed to ensure no cold air is seeping into your home.
—Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Jan. 2025
The double-walled construction of the galleries provided significant protection, and at 10:45 a.m., the dampers — small valves that regulate airflow in a building’s HVAC system — were turned off, as was the air conditioning.
—Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 9 Jan. 2025
Polestar says the performance pack has been popular with early customers, and while those with their own tools can adjust the dampers at home, a visit to the service centre is recommended.
—Alistair Charlton, Forbes, 17 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for damper 
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Patrick Ryan, USA TODAY, 23 Jan. 2025
Make sure your fireplace damper is closed to ensure no cold air is seeping into your home.
—Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 21 Jan. 2025
The double-walled construction of the galleries provided significant protection, and at 10:45 a.m., the dampers — small valves that regulate airflow in a building’s HVAC system — were turned off, as was the air conditioning.
—Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 9 Jan. 2025
Polestar says the performance pack has been popular with early customers, and while those with their own tools can adjust the dampers at home, a visit to the service centre is recommended.
—Alistair Charlton, Forbes, 17 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for damper
Dictionary Entries Near damper
Cite this Entry
“Damper.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/damper. Accessed 16 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
damper
noun
damp·er
ˈdam-pər 
: one that damps : as
a
: a valve or plate (as in the flue of a furnace) for regulating the draft
b
: a device (as one of the felt-covered pieces of wood in a piano) used to deaden vibrations or oscillations
c
: a dulling or deadening influence
put a damper on the celebration
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