How to say "dent" in Japanese

• 凹みへこみCommon
  nounThe noun: a hollow, depression, or dent in a surface. This is usually the word you want when talking about a dent itself, such as one in a car door or metal panel.
  後うしろのドアにへこみができた。↗

  They had a dent in the rear door.
• デント
  nounA loanword meaning a dent, especially in a car. Less common than 凹み, it appears mainly in automotive contexts such as repair shops, and is rarely the right choice elsewhere.
• 凹ますへこます
  godan verb, transitive verbThe verb 'to dent' or 'to indent', also meaning to depress or humiliate. Use it when something causes a dent, but note that the figurative 'humiliate' sense is prominent.
• 凹ませるへこませる
  ichidan verbA transitive verb with the same senses: to dent, indent, depress, or humiliate. It is the causative form of 凹む, so for putting a dent in something it is often the natural choice.

Use 「凹み」 for a dent as a thing (noun); 「凹ます」 and 「凹ませる」 for the action of denting something, which can also mean to humiliate; 「デント」 is a loanword chiefly for car dents.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 凹みへこみhollow
• デントdent (esp. in a car)
• 凹ますへこますto dent
• 凹ませるへこませるto dent