water down

verb

watered down; watering down; waters down
Synonyms of water downnext

transitive verb

: to reduce or temper the force or effectiveness of
watered down the plan
watered-down adjective

Examples of water down in a Sentence

watered down the cocktails while jacking up their prices
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But watering down safe Republican seats in a tough year for the incumbent party, could backfire, some have predicted. Alexandra Glorioso, Miami Herald, 27 Apr. 2026 As he gets pummeled with demands to water down his proposals over the course of this year, let’s hope McGrath holds the line. Parmy Olson, Twin Cities, 26 Apr. 2026 As he gets pummeled with demands to water down his proposals over the course of this year, let’s hope McGrath holds the line. Parmy Olson, Mercury News, 25 Apr. 2026 That major hedge is new, and seriously waters down the importance of these two existing constitutional criteria. The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 24 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for water down

Word History

First Known Use

1811, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of water down was in 1811

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Cite this Entry

“Water down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/water%20down. Accessed 30 Apr. 2026.

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