make a dent

VERB

solve

Synonyms

STRONGEST

clarify clear up deal with decide determine do explain figure out fix have iron out settle work out

STRONG

break construe crack decipher decode disentangle divine elucidate enlighten expound fathom get hit illuminate interpret lick puzzle reason unfold unlock unravel untangle work

WEAK

find out get right get to the bottom hit upon make out pan out put two and two together think out unriddle

Antonyms

STRONGEST

complicate confuse defer destroy hesitate miss neglect put off unsettle

STRONG

agree be vague fail hide lose mend misunderstand obscure tangle twist

WEAK

pose question search wonder

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

make a dent

If Elon Musk helped pay down the debt by sacrificing the entirety of his nearly $1 trillion net worth—itself a mind-boggling sum—it would barely make a dent.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026

Murphy’s fellow representative, Democrat Zac Ista, told ProPublica he hadn’t been able to make a dent in this legislature.

From Salon ● Jun. 8, 2026

Given the size of the federal budget, the returns on Intel or any of the government’s other investments won’t make a dent.

From Barron's ● May 8, 2026

In other words, eliminating all of this overspending, even if that were possible, wouldn’t make a dent in total spending.

From MarketWatch ● Apr. 29, 2026

The botched baseball game doesn't make a dent in Didu's mission.

From "You Bring the Distant Near" by Mitali Perkins

make a dent

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Related Words