Dinged

The past tense of "ding," meaning to cause a slight dent or a small, usually superficial, impact on a surface, often resulting in minor damage. It can also refer metaphorically to experiencing a negative emotional impact, such as a slight disappointment or offense. The degree of damage implies a minor injury or imperfection, typically not catastrophic, but noticeable enough to warrant the use of the term. Often used to describe damage to vehicles, appliances, or personal belongings, but sometimes used to describe a minor mental or emotional impact.

Dinged meaning with examples

• After backing out of the driveway, I dinged the car door on the brick pillar. The damage was minor, just a small scratch and a slight dent. I was upset, but relieved it wasn't more serious, and knew it could be easily fixed with a bit of body filler. It certainly needed a touch-up.
• The antique vase was only slightly dinged when it fell off the shelf, miraculously surviving its fall down the stairs. The repair cost to fix the tiny chip was significantly less than a replacement. I was overjoyed that such a treasured item was intact after that ordeal.
• Sarah was a little dinged when her manager canceled her planned day off. She had been looking forward to the vacation since planning the entire year. It ruined her plans to go to the park for the weekend, and I found she was feeling a bit deflated.
• After the heated argument, Mark was feeling quite dinged. His words had hurt the relationship. It was clear he needed some time to think about the way he behaved and he knew he should apologize to his partner for the upset his actions had caused.