water down

verb

Definition of water downnext
as in to dilute
to alter (something) for the worse with the addition of foreign or lower-grade substances watered down the cocktails while jacking up their prices

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of water down What feels like a quick rinse actually sends gallons of water down the drain. — Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 July 2026 But Reeves and Starmer faced criticism for some of their fiscal policies, such as increasing National Insurance — a kind of tax on employment — for businesses, and watering down welfare reforms to appease backbench lawmakers. — Chloe Taylor, CNBC, 21 July 2026 At the same time, rising gasoline and power costs have watered down the party’s stance against fossil fuels. — Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 21 July 2026 The second problem is their plan lets Congress water down any commission recommendations. — Howard Gleckman, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for water down
Recent Examples of Synonyms for water down
  1. dilute
  2. load
  3. dirty
  4. cut
  5. pollute
  6. poison
  7. infect
Verb
  • Wealthy individuals and companies will also prefer assets that are hard to dilute, tax selectively, or trap – bitcoin foremost among them.
    — Dave Birnbaum, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Serve immediately to avoid the salad becoming watery and diluted in flavor.
    — Kate Bradshaw, Mercury News, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of dilute
Verb
  • The Buckeyes are loaded, even though the program lost four standouts within the NFL Draft’s first 11 picks.
    — Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Pack the car in reverse order, so the last box loaded is the first one your student needs.
    — Lauren Schuster, Miami Herald, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of load
Verb
  • Satisfy your lasagna craving without dirtying up a pile of dishes.
    — Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 9 July 2026
  • The zipper shoe compartment keeps your shoes from dirtying up your clothing, and the massive interior can hold many outfits for your weekend getaway.
    — Olivia Dubyak, Travel + Leisure, 9 Mar. 2026
Definition of dirty
Verb
  • Since it was designated the first national recreation area in 1964, hordes of visitors have cut Lake Mead’s glassy surface with jet skis and boats, carelessly dropping belongings that may now wash up on shore.
    — Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026
  • First, prep your sandwich with any fillings, then place it into the cutter to cut and seal in one step.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of cut
Verb
  • The usual analogy is that generative AI and LLMs are akin to a factory that pollutes local waters.
    — Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Our state has thousands of sites already polluted with toxic chemicals and other pollutants, and those projects affect air quality, safe drinking water and community health for millions of Californians.
    — Shannon Olivieri Hovis, Mercury News, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of pollute
Verb
  • See affected product Symptoms of salmonella poisoning Symptoms of salmonella poisoning usually start six hours to six days after ingesting the bacteria.
    — Julia Gomez, USA Today, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Glutathione is processed in sterile compounding pharmacies, and there have been cases of people getting poisoned due to contamination at these facilities, Sack said.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of poison
Verb
  • Injection sites can become infected, and veins can become inflamed or blocked by clots.
    — Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 26 Aug. 2026
  • An 8-year-old girl in Louisiana died after she was infected with a rare brain-eating amoeba, leaving her family devastated.
    — Julia Gomez, USA Today, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of infect

Browse Nearby Words

watercrafts
water down
watered
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Water down.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/water%20down. Accessed 27 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of southpaw

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 28

Why do we say 'break a leg'?
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
alt-684346df967d5
Add A Letter Quiz Pick the letter that goes in the same spot in fou...
See All