make a dent in

Idioms

Begin to accomplish or consume something, as in I've barely made a dent in this pile of correspondence, or Help us put a dent in this pie. This metaphoric expression alludes to striking a blow to make a physical indentation in something.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

CAR-T treatments have been a cancer breakthrough, and are beginning to make a dent in aut0-immune disorders like lupus and multiple sclerosis.

From Barron's • Dec. 9, 2025

The cash drain, though, has started to make a dent in those companies’ balance sheets, offering a preview of a potentially more drastic reshaping of their respective businesses if AI expenditures keep growing.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 16, 2025

The Amazon and UPS job reductions, as large as they seem, would barely make a dent in jobless claims.

From MarketWatch • Oct. 31, 2025

But Mr McGrath, and Iluka, are hoping to make a dent in that control - even if it wasn't necessarily in the company's original plan.

From BBC • Aug. 12, 2025

The money didn't mean anything to Ishtar—I doubted it would make a dent in her account—but make a deal with a god?

From "City of the Plague God" by Sarwat Chadda

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023