dilute

1 of 2

verb

di·​lute dī-ˈlüt How to pronounce dilute (audio)
də-
diluted; diluting

transitive verb

1
: attenuate
dilute the power of the mayoralty
diluting the quality of the finished product
2
: to make thinner or more liquid by admixture
diluted the bleach with water
diluting juice with water
3
: to diminish the strength, flavor, or brilliance of (something) by or as if by admixture
dilute a color
But spreading the light out also dilutes it …Michael Zeilik and John Gaustad
4
: to decrease the per share value of (common stock) by increasing the total number of shares
diluter noun
or dilutor
dilutive adjective

dilute

2 of 2

adjective

: weak, diluted
a dilute acid solution
diluteness noun

Examples of dilute in a Sentence

Verb You can dilute the medicine with water. The hiring of the new CEO diluted the power of the company's president. diluting the quality of our products Adjective a dilute solution of acid a dilute acid that's safe to handle in the classroom
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
In November 2023, however, Disney CEO Bob Iger said Marvel diluted its audience by doing too many TV shows — a charge that some have also said about the company’s Star Wars efforts. James Hibberd, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 Mar. 2024 Related Articles The move comes as the district faces the potential threat of a lawsuit from community members for allegedly violating the California Voting Rights Act, a state law that protects racial minority groups from having their votes diluted. Stephanie Lam, The Mercury News, 14 Mar. 2024 Once that Black voting bloc gets diluted, so does Black political power. Keith A. Owens, Detroit Free Press, 11 Mar. 2024 This sweetens and dilutes the absinthe, which is typically bottled well over 100 proof, and turns the liquid cloudy. Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 8 Mar. 2024 Washington’s continued support of Ukraine impedes Russia’s military ambitions and dilutes its potential to support Chinese aggression in the future. Max Bergmann, Foreign Affairs, 6 Mar. 2024 The director brought in so many moving parts and so many other actors that mine got diluted. Zack Sharf, Variety, 6 Mar. 2024 The authors of the GAO study wrote that Greenland and Denmark haven’t proposed any cleanup plans, but also cited studies that say much of the nuclear waste has already decayed and will be diluted by melting ice. Anita Hofschneider, WIRED, 2 Mar. 2024 This balanced approach can help reclaim the essence of customer service, with technology enriching rather than diluting human connections. Kate Hardcastle, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024
Adjective
Vinegar, which is really dilute acetic acid, will help the milk curdle by further denaturing the whey proteins and neutralizing negative charges at the surface of casein micelles. Liz Roth-Johnson, Discover Magazine, 12 Feb. 2013 However toxic a substance may be, the amount of exposure received by the general population is very dilute. George Johnson, Discover Magazine, 8 July 2013 For example, Wilson’s team is exploring whether dilute acids speed up weathering. Robert F. Service, Science | AAAS, 3 Sep. 2020 The company reported a net loss during the first quarter of $3.9 million, or 11 cents diluted loss per share, compared to a net income of $4.3 million, or 12 cents dilute earnings per share over the same period last year. Paul Takahashi, Houston Chronicle, 5 June 2018 Tests pick it up even in dilute wastewater,'' the story reports. Bob Warren, NOLA.com, 15 Apr. 2018 Of the plants previously watered with very dilute vinegar, 70 percent survived while almost none of those that were given other acids or only water did. Carolyln Wilke, sacbee, 30 June 2017 A dilute sample is when a player drinks so much water, the urine test administered is ineffective because of the excess water consumption. Doug Lesmerises, cleveland.com, 16 May 2017 Dallas Cowboys Bob’s pick: Jabril Peppers, DB/LB, Michigan Comment: A dilute sample on a drug test might cause some teams pause about Peppers. Jayson Jenks, The Seattle Times, 27 Apr. 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'dilute.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Adjective

Latin dilutus, past participle of diluere to wash away, dilute, from di- + lavere to wash — more at lye

First Known Use

Verb

circa 1575, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1605, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of dilute was circa 1575

Dictionary Entries Near dilute

Cite this Entry

“Dilute.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dilute. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

dilute

1 of 2 verb
di·​lute dī-ˈlüt How to pronounce dilute (audio)
də-
diluted; diluting
: to make thinner or more liquid by adding in and mixing something
added water to dilute the punch

dilute

2 of 2 adjective
: lacking normal strength especially as a result of being diluted

Medical Definition

dilute

1 of 2 transitive verb
di·​lute dī-ˈlüt, də- How to pronounce dilute (audio)
diluted; diluting
: to make thinner or more liquid by admixture
diluter noun
also dilutor

dilute

2 of 2 adjective
: of relatively low strength or concentration
a dilute solution

Legal Definition

dilute

transitive verb
di·​lute dī-ˈlüt, də- How to pronounce dilute (audio)
diluted; diluting
: to cause dilution of

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