# dim

/ˈdɪm/ (US) · /dˈɪm/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/dim
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. not bright

adjective · CEFR B1

having very little light, making it difficult to see clearly.

For teachers: 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.

### 2. not smart

adjective · CEFR B2 · Informal

not very intelligent or quick to understand things.

For teachers: 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.

### 3. unclear or faint

adjective · CEFR B2

not clear in your mind, like a memory that is fading.

For teachers: 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.

### 4. to make less bright

verb · CEFR B2

to make a light less bright, or to become less bright yourself.

For teachers: to reduce the intensity of a light source; may be used transitively or intransitively.

- 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.

## Examples

- The lights in the theater became dim before the movie started.
- We had to use our phone flashlights to read the menu in the dim restaurant.
- The explorer struggled to navigate the cavern as his torch grew dim, casting long and flickering shadows against the damp limestone walls.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.