to put a damper on
11
5.8
- phrasal verb
- Informal
:
aguar
- The unexpected news really put a damper on her birthday celebration.
- puts a damper on things
Don't let winter storms put a damper on your run or your foot.
- Don't let winter storms put a damper on your run or your foot.
- Don't go away the high fuel cost putting a damper on your vacation plans.
- Coming up on our two year anniversary on the podcast are the high fuel cost putting a damper on your summer vacation plans?
- They get that these people are just talentless self promoters for the high fuel cost putting a damper on your summer vacay plans.
Examples
-
Snowboarders still came out, but rain seemed to put a damper on some fun at Boreal Saturday.
Blog text (28) -
His negative attitude put a damper on the team's excitement about the project.
-
Boy, you know, this will put a damper on the show.
-
That does put a damper on our relationship.
-
All these weather events are putting a damper on our plans.
Blog text (25) -
You know, a heart attack sure can put a damper on an anniversary party.
-
That will put a damper on tourism.
-
The stunning loss put a damper on what could have been a great season.
Blog text (27) -
Yes, that did put a damper on the evening, didn't it?
Fiction book (2002) -
I didn't mean to put a damper on the evening.
Fiction book (1992)
Synonyms
257
3.5
To try to stop something by making people less willing to do it
148
7.2
To make people feel afraid or less enthusiastic
73
3.5
To limit or control something to stop it getting worse
49
5.3
To hold back a feeling or reaction so it does not show
26
4.8
To make a sound or feeling less strong
23
6.8
To become less strong or severe and to make something do the same
16
4.4
Make something less strong or noticeable, for example sound and feeling
11
6.3
Make someone unable to act naturally or show feelings
11
4.3
To slow down an activity or stop it
10
4.8
To make prices, levels, or activity fall
5
5.7
Reduce the strength of feelings or public anger
3
5.5
To make a feeling, sound, or pain less strong
2
4.9
Make someone feel less happy and excited
1
4.9
Become or make slower, for example the wind
1
9.8
Make someone or something lose energy and stop working well
To stop someone from feeling excited
Antonyms
How Enjoyable
492
1.0
16
4.4
- Informal
11
5.8
80
2.8
∞
2.0
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is compositionally derived: 'put' (bring into a state) + 'a damper' (something that dampens or reduces) + 'on' (apply to) yields 'apply something that reduces enjoyment or enthusiasm.' If a B1 learner knows the constituent meanings—especially 'damper'—the overall sense is predictable rather than idiomatic. The construction is a straightforward metaphorical extension and follows common cross-linguistic patterns, so it is transparent.
Etymology
Put a damper on may come from old stoves and fireplaces, where a damper is a metal plate you close to make the fire smaller. So, to 'put a damper on' something came to mean 'to make it less lively or enjoyable'.