I.
noun
ADJECTIVE
▪ big , great ( esp. BrE ), huge , large
▪ real , serious , severe ( esp. BrE ), significant ( all figurative )
▪
The latest health scare has made a significant ~ in the sales of beef.
▪ little , slight , small , tiny
VERB + DENT
▪ leave , make , put
▪
The impact of the stones made little ~s in the metal.
▪ have
PREPOSITION
▪ ~ in
▪
My side of the car had a large ~ in it.
II.
verb
1 make a dent in sth
ADVERB
▪ badly
▪
The car was quite badly ~ed on one side.
▪ slightly
2 damage sth
ADVERB
▪ badly , seriously , severely
▪
Being turned down for the job ~ed his pride quite badly.
▪
Cheap goods from overseas could severely ~ the company's sales.
▪ slightly
▪ barely
VERB + DENT
▪ fail to ( esp. BrE )
▪
The experience failed to ~ her confidence.
Dent is used with these nouns as the object: ↑ bonnet , ↑ confidence , ↑ ego , ↑ enthusiasm , ↑ fender , ↑ wing