water down

verb

watered down; watering down; waters down

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.
Even when marketers try to help, things often fall apart: Briefs get ignored, ghostwriting misses the nuance and content gets watered down through too many review cycles. Henry McIntosh, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025 In the past five years, the Oregon Legislature has repeatedly rejected or watered down bills to streamline permitting of energy projects. Tony Schick, ProPublica, 14 Aug. 2025 Carbon-intensive industries used their deep ties to trade associations, unions, political parties, and regulators to block federal climate legislation in the United States and water down policy efforts across Europe. Nils Kupzok, Foreign Affairs, 31 July 2025 But hinging entire entertainment ecosystems on the same formula waters down both expectations and results for TV dramas. Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 23 July 2025 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Water down.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/water%20down. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.

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