# dimming

/ˈdɪmɪŋ/ (US) · /dˈɪmɪŋ/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/dimming
Updated: 2026-10-18

## Definition

to make a light less bright, or to become less bright. You use this when lights go low before a film or the sky fades in the evening.

For teachers: to reduce the brightness or intensity of light, or to lose brightness gradually. Covers both deliberate adjustment and natural fading.

## Examples

- She is dimming the lights for the movie.
- The restaurant manager is dimming the overhead lights to create a calm mood for dinner.
- As the storm clouds gathered, the afternoon sun kept dimming behind thick grey layers, turning the city streets strangely dark.

## Usage notes

- Both transitive and intransitive; takes a direct object when describing deliberate adjustment.

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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.