dimness

/ˈdɪmnəs/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈdɪmnəs/ (ame, ipa)

dimness — noun

1. A low level of light that makes a place or thing look dark and not easy to see c

1.名詞B2
釋義

A low level of light that makes a place or thing look dark and not easy to see clearly.

例句

The dimness of the kitchen made Nora reach for the wall switch.

the dimness of + place

In the cave's dimness, Quan held the map close to his flashlight.

in the dimness

同義詞
  • darkness

    stronger; suggests little or no light at all

  • gloom

    often adds a heavy or sad atmosphere, not just weak light

  • murk

    more literary; emphasizes dirty or unclear darkness

反義詞
  • brightness

    clear strong light that makes things easy to see

  • light

    the general presence of illumination

文法句型

the dimness of [place/object]

in the dimness

用法筆記

Usually used for the lighting in a room, outdoor space, or object such as a screen. It often appears in the patterns 'the dimness of ...' and 'in the dimness'.

常見錯誤

❌There were many dimnesses in the room.
✅There was a lot of dimness in the room.
💡this sense is usually uncountable.

2. Reduced clearness in someone's sight, so that things seem dark, faded, or hard t

2.名詞C1
釋義

Reduced clearness in someone's sight, so that things seem dark, faded, or hard to make out.

例句

Andrew blinked at the road signs, troubled by the dimness of his sight.

the dimness of + sight

After the eye drops wore off, Yara noticed a dimness in her left eye.

a dimness in + eye

同義詞
  • blur

    focuses on unclear outlines rather than darkness in the sight

  • haze

    suggests a misty or cloudy effect over what you see

  • obscurity

    more formal; often used in medical or technical writing

反義詞
  • clarity

    easy, sharp vision with details clearly seen

  • sharpness

    precise focus in what the eye sees

文法句型

dimness in [eye/vision]

the dimness of [someone's] sight

用法筆記

Used for eyesight rather than room lighting. It often appears in medical conversations about a change in vision, especially when someone notices the problem in one eye or while reading.

常見錯誤

❌I noticed dimness of eye yesterday.
✅I noticed a dimness in my eye yesterday.
💡use 'in' with the eye or vision, not 'of eye'.

3. A lack of intelligence or quick understanding, often spoken of in an insulting o

3.名詞C1
釋義

A lack of intelligence or quick understanding, often spoken of in an insulting or joking way.

例句

Christopher's dimness showed when he locked the keys inside the empty car.

someone's dimness showed when ...

The teacher sighed at the dimness Vinicius showed during the simple math quiz.

dimness shown in a task

同義詞
  • stupidity

    stronger and harsher; sounds more openly insulting

  • dullness

    can mean slow understanding, but also can describe boring style or weak light

  • obtuseness

    more formal; stresses failure to understand what should be obvious

反義詞

文法句型

someone's dimness

dimness in [person's] thinking

用法筆記

This sense is usually negative or teasing, not neutral. It refers to poor understanding in a person, unlike sense 1 about low light or sense 2 about eyesight.

常見錯誤

❌His dimness to math caused problems.
✅His dimness in class caused problems.
💡this sense describes a person's poor understanding, not a preposition pattern with 'to'.