Word
dim
US/ˈdɪm/
UK/dˈɪm/
Definitions
01not bright
B1 · Intermediate
adj. having very little light, making it difficult to see clearly.
adj. characterised by a low level of light; lacking brightness or clarity of illumination.
“The light in the hallway was too dim to read the room numbers.”
“The dim glow from the streetlamp barely reached the far corner of the garden, leaving most of the path in deep shadow.”
02not smart
B2 · Upper Intermediate Informal
adj. not very intelligent or quick to understand things.
adj. lacking intellectual acuity or mental sharpness.
“He is a nice guy, but he can be a bit dim when it comes to technology.”
“The character is portrayed as well-meaning but somewhat dim, often missing the obvious clues that the audience sees immediately.”
03unclear or faint
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. not clear in your mind, like a memory that is fading.
adj. lacking distinctness in the mind or senses; faint or indistinct.
“I have a dim memory of visiting this park when I was a small child.”
“The distant mountains were only a dim outline against the grey morning sky.”
Synonyms
04to make less bright
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. to make a light less bright, or to become less bright yourself.
v. to reduce the intensity of a light source; may be used transitively or intransitively.
Español:dimear
“The lights began to dim just before the movie started.”
“The theatre manager instructed the technician to dim the house lights slowly to signal that the performance was about to begin.”
Antonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “dim” in context.
Verb
01. appear dim
“The stars appear dim in the polluted night sky.”
verb + adj
02. grow dim
“The lights began to grow dim as the performance started.”
verb + adj
Adjective
03. extremely dim
“The stars looked extremely dim through the city smog.”
adv + adj
04. fairly dim
“The restaurant was fairly dim, with only candles on the tables.”
adv + adj
Noun
05. dim bulb
“He is nice, but a bit of a dim bulb in class.”
adj + noun
06. dim light
“We read by dim light during the power cut.”
adj + noun
07. dim memory
“I have only a dim memory of my first school.”
adj + noun
08. dim outline
“We could see the dim outline of the mountains.”
adj + noun
09. dim prospect
“There is only a dim prospect of a quick recovery.”
adj + noun
10. dim room
“She waited alone in a dim room at the back.”
adj + noun
11. a bit dim
“He can be a bit dim sometimes, but he is very kind.”
12. a dim memory of
“I have a dim memory of visiting the zoo as a child.”
Real-World Examples
“Age has slowed her body, but it has not dimmed the songs that have stayed with her for more than seven decades.” “My fitness dimmed, my sense of heaviness grew, the ocean became strange to me.” Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
Idioms
01. dim and distant
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/dim
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0