1. the reduction or elimination of vibrations, oscillations, or unwanted motion in a mechanical or electrical system
Usage: technical; physics; engineering
2. the process of making something slightly wet or moist

Examples

• The car’s shock absorbers provide damping to reduce bouncing.
• Proper damping in the building prevents excessive swaying during earthquakes.
• The engineer adjusted the damping coefficient to eliminate unwanted vibrations.
• Oil damping is commonly used in precision instruments.
• The damping of the cloth made it easier to remove dust from the furniture.
• Electronic circuits often require damping to prevent oscillations.