dampen
v. B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈdæmpən// UK //dˈæmpən// damp·en
v. to make something slightly wet or to reduce the strength of a feeling or an activity. You use it when you want to say that something is not as strong or dry as it was before.
v. to make something slightly wet or moist; figuratively, to reduce the intensity or effectiveness of a feeling, action, or process. Often used in the passive voice to describe the suppression of enthusiasm or the weakening of a signal.
The rain began to dampen the grass in the garden.
The heavy clouds started to dampen the mood of the outdoor wedding party.
While the initial data was promising, the subsequent analysis began to dampen the researchers' excitement by revealing several significant statistical anomalies.
From damp + -en.