dimmer

1 of 2

noun

dim·​mer ˈdi-mər How to pronounce dimmer (audio)
1
: a device for regulating the intensity of an electric lighting unit
2
: low beam

dimmer

2 of 2

comparative of dim entry 1

Examples of dimmer in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Noun
The Orionid meteor shower creates one of the most brilliant displays in the night sky each fall — but this year’s celestial event may have a dimmer showing due to a bright moon. — Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 21 Oct. 2026 Use dimmers, timers, and motion sensors to automatically control lighting in and around your home. — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 17 Oct. 2026 Choose from heat mode or cool mode depending on the season, and then activate night mode for the quietest settings and a dimmer display. — Cierra Cowan, PC Magazine, 6 Oct. 2026 But the longer the current stalemate lasts, the dimmer that prospect grows. — Will Freeman, Foreign Affairs, 17 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for dimmer

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

circa 1896, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of dimmer was circa 1896

Phrases Containing dimmer

Rhymes for dimmer

See All Rhymes for dimmer

Browse Nearby Words

dimmedness
dimmer
dimmer switch
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Cite this Entry

“Dimmer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dimmer. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

dimmer

noun
dim·​mer ˈdim-ər How to pronounce dimmer (audio)
1
: a device for controlling the amount of light from an electric lighting unit (as the headlights of an automobile or the lights of a room)
2
: low beam

More from Merriam-Webster on dimmer

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about dimmer

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